Summer of Discontent
by SaltyJak
Summary: Vicky is seriously considering quitting her babysitting job after losing most of her customers when at the last minute she receives a phone call from the Turners.
1. Chapter 1

A cacophony of mechanical bells awoke Vicky from her slumber.

"_The alarm." _She thought.

Honestly she had no idea why she had set her alarm in the first place, and at seven in the morning no less! It was summer after all and school was out, why bother setting an alarm? Of course the reason for the alarm had been born out of habit, the Turner's usually required her services for watching Timmy seeing as how they were always heading out somewhere and leaving him in her care.

Today would have been different though, she planned to sleep in (despite the alarm indicating otherwise) and maybe just laze around all day playing video games or watching TV, after all, she had every intention of quitting babysitting today. Most of the kids in her care had finally, in some way or another, convinced their parents they no longer needed a babysitter. Not particularly hard in AJ's case as Vicky had to admit he was smart for a ten year old and pretty mature for his age. She decided herself to stop babysitting Elmer saying that the commute was becoming too much to handle for her (this, of course being false, all the kids she watched lived fairly close to one another). The actual reason was that _boil_ of his, it was practically a second head on his face and by the size of it very well could be sentient. The very thought made her skin crawl. Who knows how Chester could have convinced his dad to let him stop having a babysitter, maybe he just wanted to spend more time with his son before child services showed up to take Chester away from his unfit father. Either way they could no longer afford her services and that was reason enough for them to fire her. This didn't matter much to her anyway, she had a near infinite supply of money thanks to the Turners, any request she put towards them in exchange for watching Timmy was happily met. Suited her just fine, at the point she was at she was ready to retire, at sixteen no less! How many babysitters could claim to be able to do this? How many sixteen year olds could claim to do this? Sure people would complain about her prices but it mattered little to her, they either payed up or found someone else who then stole her customers and she inevitably blackmailed into quitting and then got her customers back. A truly wonderful cycle that ensured she would be well off for the rest of her life as long as she was good at blackmailing, and she was _very_ good at blackmailing.

She heard noise from the far wall of her room, probably Tootie waking up from the sound of Vicky's alarm, she made sure it was loud enough that someone who awoke from it wouldn't be able to get back to sleep; it practically scared you awake.

Tootie. Their parents almost never asked Vicky to watch her, they always had time for Tootie no matter what, Vicky herself was a different story, anytime she needed help they were too busy or some other bullshit excuse. With Tootie though they always dropped whatever they were doing and rushed to help her. Before Tootie was born this was not so, Vicky certainly didn't have a glamorous childhood but she wasn't ignored, though she did occasionally get a slap or two from her father when he drank, but he was good he never left a mark, you always hear people say that someone knows how to hit without leaving a mark, well Vick most certainly had mastered that art. That was something else that annoyed her about her father was that he named her after himself, as if he was so great.

"_Narcissistic bastard."_ She thought to herself.

In regards to Tootie she didn't hate her(at least she didn't think she hated her) but she couldn't help but feel that her parents just liked her better than they did Vicky. As soon as Tootie was born she was practically forgotten, not an easy thing for a six year old to go through, but she tried not to let it get her down after all once Tootie was born her father stopped drinking and by extension stopped hitting so she had to thank Tootie for that at least.

Shortly after Tootie's birth she simply learned to deal with it, in her opinion they could have their little princess and she would do as she pleased, deciding then and there that she would never appear weak again and she would fill her life with material possessions to fill the hole her parents were all too happy to leave her with and what wasn't given to her she would take. Only one person would have control over Vicky's life and that was Vicky.

She was mean to Tootie, consciously or unconsciously, she wasn't sure which, but she was, probably because Tootie received all the attention that Vicky wanted too. She didn't want them to not love Tootie and only love her just as she didn't want them to only love Tootie and not love her, she wanted them to be a family, equal love all around, but maybe some things just weren't meant to be. And a part of Vicky hated Tootie for that, hated her for something she had no control over, it wasn't right but the torturous chores she put Tootie through (much like those she put Timmy through) certainly felt pretty good to her.

Eventually though, she grew bored with torturing Tootie, maybe because she lived with Tootie and had nearly all her non babysitting time to torture her, but it grew dull and she at first only slowed and lessened the chores but eventually stopped altogether, when this happened Tootie was suspicious but knew not to look a gift horse in the mouth and accepted it. So, in the end, Vicky unwittingly patched things up with Tootie and they shared a relatively normal sisterly relationship (though Vicky still cared little for anything girly and Tootie cared little for blackmailing, extorting, and hurting people).

Eventually Vicky decided that after either letting go of (or being let go by) her customers and having only the Turner's as her last customers that it may just be best to retire, after all she was ridiculously wealthy by now and had plenty of powerful contacts to ensure that her descendants' descendants would have nary a care in the world when it came to money.

She decided that she had enough of self analyzing for today and that it would be better to finish her only real task of the day: call the Turners and tell them she was quitting. She searched for her phone and realized she had no idea where it was (odd considering her phone's alarm was what woke her in the first place) after fifteen minutes of searching she found it nestled between her bed and dresser apparently having fallen when she attempted to turn it off earlier. Looking at the phone's touch screen she hit the contacts icon and scrolled down to the 'T' section.

"Tammy..., Terry...(_"Who the hell is Terry?"_), Timmy...(_"Why is the Twerp's number on my phone and since when does he have his own phone?"_)... Tootie... Turners! Finally."

She was about to press the call button when she hesitated.

"_Why am I hesitating?" "Dammit girl you already made this decision!" "Just make the call and you're done, home free!" _The thoughts rang in her head.

Just as Vicky was about to press the call button her phone began to ring and vibrate in her hand. She stared at the phone as though it had just committed an act of the highest treason.

It was the Turners themselves calling, she pressed the button to answer the phone.

"Hello?"


	2. Chapter 2

_Timmy sat on the couch in his living room playing Halo 3 and doing rather well considering he was playing on Legendary, he hadn't died in over an hour now and was fully in the immersed in the game play. Of course the reason he was doing so well was not by his own skill alone, the TV screen was split across horizontally and from what he could tell his co-op partner wasn't half bad herself, easily using tactics one would not expect from someone who didn't play video games as much as she would like._

_What struck Timmy however was the fact that the person he was playing with was certainly not someone he would ever consider playing with in the first place._

_He was playing with Vicky._

"_Don't forget to use the motion tracker Vicky."_

"_I am using it Twerp, don't forget to use the shotgun rather than save it for later and then just never use it at all!"_

"_Hey I'm just saying, that brute chieftain got you because you didn't watch the motion tracker, and also, you never know when you will need a scatter-gun might as well save it for a tough enemy rather than waste it on every grunt you see."_

"_Not my fault the brute chieftain is so goddamned sneaky, I didn't even hear him approach, I took cover to recharge my shield, heard a brute, and suddenly was on my way to the moon! And you do hoard the shotgun and never use it, you usually just forget you have it and it collects dust on your back!" She was getting just slightly flustered from this argument he could tell._

"_I'll give you that they are unusually sneaky for five hundred pound ape men, but that is what the motion tracker is for, brutes can't use active camouflage." He was going to ignore the shotgun comment on the basis that it was true to an extent._

"_Whatever Twerp, lets just finish the level I need a break."_

"_I'll agree with you there, playing on Legendary is stressful."_

_Before they could continue there was a clicking noise as the TV and game system shut off simultaneously, half a second later Timmy and Vicky were plunged into darkness as all the lights in the house went off._

"_What the?!" they both exclaimed._

_What Timmy and Vicky had failed to notice during their gaming session was that a mass of thunderclouds heralding a storm had moved in over Dimmsdale and had apparently knocked out the power in much of the area._

"_Well shit, I guess the power's out Twerp, and it's likely to be out for a while in this weather."_

_Vicky had moved over to the window and was now looking outside at the chaos the storm was causing: rather strong winds and heavy rainfall. She was surprised that neither of them had noticed the storm before now._

"_Probably a bad time to mention my parents had a candlelit dinner a few weeks ago and forgot to blow out the candles, they melted down to nothing and my parents haven't gotten around to buying more yet."_

"_Awesome. Well stay here, I'll go find a flashlight or something."_

"_Alright, be careful Vicky."_

"_Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine."_

_Vicky made her way towards what her memory suggested was the kitchen and thought she was doing alright until she collided with the door frame of the kitchen with an audible thump._

"_Ow! God damn everything!"_

"_I told you to be careful!" Said Timmy amongst poorly concealed giggles._

"_Fuck you." Vicky was less than amused at his finding her in pain to be amusing._

_A few minutes later Vicky returned with all she could find: a small flashlight that could be cranked by hand to have a brighter light that also had a built-in radio._

"_I guess that will work..."_

"_Well it doesn't really matter what you guess because it's all we've got. At least it won't run out of power when we need it."_

_They sat in silence for what seemed like hours but was, in reality, a few minutes, before Timmy spoke up:_

"_Well now what do we do?"_

"_Well we could tell scary stories until we got tired enough to fall asleep."_

"_I don't know any."_

"_Well I do..." She said this as she put the light under her face in the classic 'get ready for a scary story' expression._

"_That doesn't surprise me."_

"_What are you trying to say Twerp?"_

"_That I'm not surprised that the self proclaimed "Evil Babysitter" knows a scary story or two."_

"_Wha? Whatever do you mean?" Said Vicky with a tone of mock hurt in her voice. "I'm not evil... I think you know that better than anyone Twerp..." She said this last part in a huskier and knowing tone, one that brought a slight dusting of pink to Timmy's cheeks. Thankfully the light was on her, not him, so for now he could hide it, though he suspected that she already knew it was there._

"_I-I did say self proclaimed didn't I?" He was getting slightly nervous now._

_He looked over to Vicky's illuminated face to see a sly smile on her face, a knowing smile. _

"_W-Whatcha thinking about V-Vicky?" The nervousness in his voice continued to betray him._

"_Oh you know..." She clicked off the flashlight and again the two of them were plunged into darkness. He heard the flashlight drop to the floor and shuffling from Vicky's end of the couch before becoming acutely aware of Vicky's right side pushing into his left and her arm snaking around him. Now in the darkness Timmy could only see the outline of some things but he could smell the slightest hint of perfume that Vicky wore, a scent he was only familiar with when the two of them were unusually close to one another, he could never quite place it because in these rare moments of such close proximity his mind was near to blank from the feeling he got from her being so close. He felt her turn his head ever so slightly towards where he assumed by their closeness her head was and felt himself partially by his own volition and partially by something else move his head towards her, the seconds passed by agonizingly slowly and just as he thought their lips would touch..._

BOOM

Timmy awoke with a start, he had been awoken by a thunderclap from his dreamworld. Looking outside revealed a perfectly sunny day, not a cloud in sight, a glance at the alarm clock revealed it was twelve fourteen in the afternoon which made sense after all, school was out and he had stayed up rather late celebrating that summer was finally here and because of a certain wish he had made that night...

"What a strange dream..."

Now he had at times dreamt of girls he knew, mostly Trixie Tang at first and occasionally of Tootie a few times but never _ever_ Vicky. She was pure evil, well, maybe not pure evil, but she was pretty damn evil as far as people he knew. If she knew he had been dreaming about her like that then that would be it, he would be dead. Vicky's wrath was legendary and even the king of hell was powerless when faced with her.

"She would make a good ally in life if she didn't hate me with such burning passion..." He mused to himself.

Now that he thought about it, what was that thunderclap he heard? The sky was clear and the only time that ever happened was when Vicky was approaching, which was thankfully for him an impossibility due to the wish he made.

Despite the protests of Wanda (and not so much Cosmo) that Timmy needed Vicky around to keep his Godparents as long as possible, (after all he had Vicky to thank for getting them in the first place) Timmy had had enough and was sure that he could simply wish that Vicky would retire from babysitting and then convince his parents he no longer needed to be watched by proving how mature he was, (he also figured that if that didn't work then he would just wish they would see him as mature enough). He was actually quite impressed that he thought this through so far. So against her better judgment (and Cosmo's lack of judgment) the wish was granted and to hell with anyone who disagreed.

"Eh, maybe Vicky is just ruining Tootie's life since she quit."

Cosmo and Wanda poofed from their fishbowl into their fairy forms to greet their godchild.

"Sleep well sport?"

"Of course, aside from a weird dream sleeping in this late is great!"

"Hey, you rhymed!" Said Cosmo.

Ignoring her below average intelligence partner, Wanda asked:

"Wanna talk about this weird dream of yours?"

"Hmm... Nope!" Exclaimed Timmy.

He did but it was rather embarrassing to think about and could possibly be detrimental towards his health should Vicky somehow get wind of it, so he figured better to keep it locked away for now.

"Actually I thought of a wish that might be good."

With a small amount of dread Wanda asked what the wish was:

"What did you have in mind sport?"

"I wish summer vacation would last longer!"

"Timmy I don't think that-

"Done!" Exclaimed Cosmo. As he raised his wand there was a distinct poofing sound.

"Sweet! How long will it last?"

"Well I didn't want to break the space time whatever-it's-called so I just made the three months three times longer."

"Great! I get a longer vacation and the universe doesn't divide by zero. Win/Win!"

Wanda had to admit that the wish was rather conservative for one of Timmy's, but then Cosmo interrupted and made a mildly smart choice which was rather uncharacteristic for him.

"Maybe there is nothing to worry about for once..."

"What's that?"

"Nothing Timmy, just thinking out loud."

As Timmy headed to the shower he mused about the turn of events his life had recently taken: a few months ago he woke up one day and realized that he felt nothing for Trixie, this was late in coming he thought later as he should have given up after he made that wish that made him and her the only people left on Earth and she went insane and nearly killed him because she evidently could no longer survive without constant attention from people. Maybe her parents didn't love her as much as they should have or maybe the loved her too much growing up, either way he felt that it was better this way and realized his constant pining had become rather pathetic anyway.

Tootie, on the other hand, had finally given up on chasing after him after what felt like (and very well could have been) years. One day after rebuffing her and pulling out his handy dandy restraining order she stopped and stared at him with an almost empty expression on her face and said in a voice that was just barely audible: "Vicky was right about you" at the time he was deeply confused by this, Vicky tortured her younger sister at every chance she got, though he had heard that over the years they had finally (though very slowly) began to bury the hatchet and act like sisters to each other. So maybe it had something to do with them having a 'girl talk'. In the end he felt that he might have been somewhat mean in his own right towards her and approached her extending an offer of friendship towards her which she gladly accepted. So after explaining the situation to his friends they had all become their own little group and looked out for each other when people like Francis were around.

Still it somewhat saddened him that Tootie had given up as despite her craziness he realized that no one was pining after him now. His timing had been poor too, because it was a week after Tootie had given up on him that his realization came about Trixie.

"Just bad luck I guess..." He thought to himself.

After showering and getting dressed Timmy made his way downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Or was it lunch now? Brunch? Whatever."

His parents were no where to be found which didn't really surprise him, they weren't exactly good at the whole parenting thing after all. Plus he was, unusually enough, able to convince them that he was mature enough to stay home by himself, surprising, but he chalked it up to being a bonus of the wish he made for Vicky to retire. They acknowledged that he was mature without a fuss and said they were so proud that he was growing up. This opened up a world of new possibilities for Timmy but he would think on that later, food, then thinking.

What he did find warranted investigation: a note on the kitchen table that was rather long compared to those he had grown used to that were usually just the bare minimum of facts.

"Let's see... Dad got a promotion... they're going on vacation without me...again...

(Timmy's brain had long ago learned to simply skim over the longer notes and just look for the important parts.)

"Will probably be gone all summer...Sweet deal!" He exclaimed remembering the summer extending wish he granted.

There was more regarding staying out of the liquor cabinet and not overspending with the credit card they left him.

"Yep, still dumb not-very-good-at-parenting parents..."

The last part of the note made Timmy's blood run colder than Skyrim's coldest winter:

"Vicky will be moving in to keep an eye on you, after all we will be gone all summer, I know you said you were mature enough to look after yourself but it's a long time to be gone and besides Vicky tells us you two always get along famously and she is such a nice girl. Anyway we will be back in September. Probably. Love Mom and Dad. XOXO"

Timmy's mind was blank from reading the note, he sat for nearly half an hour before his brain returned from being AWOL and he found his voice.

"But the wish... and the parents and the... the... I'm dead. That's it, I'm dead."

He hoped this was a dream, some horrible nightmare that would end and he would wake up in his bed, never make the summer extending wish, and go downstairs to find his parents and tell them he loved them and to stay and they could spend the summer together as a family.

Except he pinched himself and felt the sting of pain, then punched himself in the face though not terribly hard and was dazed for a moment but felt the pain, stronger but there all the same. And he realized then that this was no dream and he was most assuredly dead.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hello?"

"Vicky? It's Timmy's mother."

Vicky unconsciously put on her sickeningly sweet ruse that the Turners were no doubt accustomed to by now.

"What can I do for you Mrs. Turner?" _"Ugh this voice could give someone Diabetes..."_

"Vicky my husband just got a promotion, a _big_ promotion and we are planning on going away for the summer!"

"Okay so what do you need from me?"

"Well we were hoping you would be able to watch Timmy after all you two always get along so well."

"That may be but I'm actually retiring Mrs. Turner."

"Huh, what a coincidence, we were actually going to call you last night and tell you we no longer needed your services because we felt Timmy was finally mature enough to not need a babysitter but decided to put it off until this morning, but then my husband's supervisor called and told him about the promotion and just like that my husband decided we should go on a trip in celebration!"

Vicky looked at the phone in disgust over the revelation that they were going to fire her before she could quit and thought to herself: _"You Bitch!" _before quickly repairing the crack in her facade.

"Yeah what a funny coincidence... That being said I still intend to retire Mrs. Turner..."

"You would be paid well..."

"I appreciate that but-"

"_Very_ well..."

Vicky's normally pink eyes turned a brilliant green for only a fraction of a second. True she was wealthy beyond her wildest dreams but money was certainly something you just couldn't get enough of...

"Well if you're gonna twist my arm how can I refuse?"

"Excellent Vicky, I knew we could count on you! Just so you know we will need someone around to keep an eye on him, you know stay out of the liquor cabinet don't spend too much with the credit card..."

"Credit card?"

"Yes you know, for food and whatnot."

Vicky's wallet had taken on a life of it's own and was now excitedly jumping up and down with the prospect of getting even more full despite its already swollen appearance.

"Well alright, is there anything else Mrs. Turner?"

"Yes there are a few more things... We need you to uh... move in."

Vicky dropped her phone from shock.

"Vicky?"

She quickly snatched the phone back up.

"Y-Yep! I'm fine! The phone just slipped! Do you uh... have a spare k-key?"

"Of course! I'll bring it over when we leave today! Thank you so much for this, we really appreciate it!"

"Well you know me, always happy to lend a helping hand!"

"Great, let's see... well at this point I'm sure you know everything you need to know about taking care of Timmy-"

"_Better than you do by now." _She mused to herself.

"- so we'll be over to drop the key off in about an hour."

"Okay I'll be here packing up some clothes and other things I need."

Vicky placed her phone down on her end table, took out her suitcase, and began packing her clothes and various sharp objects absentmindedly, choosing to leave behind any power tools like her favorite chainsaw for more portable tools of destruction.

"Let's see... lucky katana, lucky flail, lucky machete..."

After packing her preferred instruments of her song of death and packing her clothes (much of which consisted of her usual green t-shirt/black jeans combo) she added in a couple bikinis for the pool she had Timmy build one summer and some more 'girly' clothes like shorts and tank tops that Tootie insisted she get in case she ever decided to stop being evil and start acting somewhat ladylike.

"_Like that'll ever happen..."_

Vicky heard a car horn from her driveway and realized the Turners had arrived while she was lost in her thoughts of packing.

Re-equipping her facade she went outside to greet them:

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Turner!"

"Hello Vicky! Thank you again for doing this."

"Think nothing of it!" _"Long as I'm getting paid well of course."_

"Here's the key, Timmy doesn't really have to go to bed at any particular time with school being out.

_"Well that's surprisingly lenient..."_

"Well that should be it, have a nice summer!"

"You too!"

The Turner's sped in reverse out of her driveway and into the street then putting the car into drive sped off leaving a trail of embers in their wake.

"When did they buy a sports car?"

Returning to her room Vicky grabbed her suitcase full of clothing and pain and began carrying it downstairs realizing it was actually quite heavy. Entering the kitchen she stopped at the table to find her parents home.

"Why are you guys here and not, I don't know, at work?"

"Tootie scraped her knee and we wanted to make sure she was okay." Came the reply from her father.

"She's fine thankfully, but can't be too careful right Veronica?" This from her mother.

"It's Vicky."

"Whatever."

"Yeah, at any rate the Turner's have asked me to move in for the summer to watch their son while they go do things that probably can't be talked about or referenced in a show for children and young adults."

"That's nice Valeria."

"Well since you guys are cool with it I'm heading out. Bye."

"Alright Vincent Valentine have a nice time storming the castle."

This shocked Vicky to some extent but not as much as it would have if she were not accustomed to this treatment by her parents.

"I don't even- Wha- *sigh* Bye."

She left the kitchen and returned to her room realizing she didn't pack her blanket or favorite(only) teddy bear. She was honestly glad to be getting a vacation from her parents and their ignorance of her existence.

Back in the kitchen...

"Who was that guy?" asked Vicky's mom.

"I dunno probably someone looking to sell us something." came the reply from Vick.

"What did he say his name was? Victor, Vance, ...Volsung! That was it! Ancient Nordic I think..."

It wasn't until two in the afternoon that Vicky decided she had everything she needed. True she only lived a few blocks away but figured it would be best for her sanity not to interrupt her paid vacation. So she struggled out of her house with her now completely over stuffed suitcase. Throwing it into her car she got in and pulled out of the driveway (she had no intention of leaving her car with her parents) and drove towards the Turner house, toward her favorite victim. Remembering she forgot something she grabbed her phone and dialed Tootie's number:

"Hi Vicky, what's up?"

"Nothing just going on vacation for the summer in case you were looking for me- wait where are you?"

"I went out to the mall with friends."

"You have friends?" she said this as a joke but realized it sounded meaner only after it crossed her lips.

"Yeah smart ass I do. Chester, AJ, and Timmy."

"Well if you need to get in touch, you have my number."

"Okay."

"Hey, I love you Toots, you know that right?"

"I know Vicky, I love you too. Why the sudden display of affection sis?"

"No reason, I'll talk to you later."

"Okay..."

Vicky hung up without saying a goodbye or waiting for one and felt the prickle of tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Even though I have been so horrible to her she forgives me... I really don't deserve a sister like her..."

Vicky wiped her eyes, and swallowed her emotions past the lump in her throat. She was Vicky, she had no time to be weak and put her emotions on display like this, not to mention she had her image to keep up.

She passed by a van parked at the side of the road that was completely unmarked, just a plain white van, but there were all sorts of antennae on it along with small satellite dishes. To most, it would be unusual but not particularly troubling, to Vicky it was noteworthy because she knew who drove it: Denzel Crocker, resident psycho and seeker of the unknown(bullshit). She knew he suspected that Timmy had fairy godparents or some such nonsense and when she was younger he had investigated her thinking that her unapproachable nature and general meanness indicated some magical involvement or something. Eventually it seemed Timmy piqued his interest more than her and he began bothering him instead. She could never quite place what it was that she didn't like about him but thought it was probably the whole 'he has an ear on his neck' thing, that or the feeling she got that he sought world domination (like minded people have a radar for that sort of thing) but she did not trust him. She was not, however, afraid of the meek little man and knew that she would probably have no trouble kicking his ass eight ways from Sunday should the need ever arise.

Continuing on she found herself on the street the Turner's lived on and passing by a few more houses (including the one that gray kid lived in).

"What was his name? Franklin, Freddy...? Francis! That's it!... Why is he gray?"

She had babysat him before but his parents were convinced(threatened) by Francis himself to fire her only a few weeks later likely because Francis was afraid of Vicky and Francis' parents were afraid of him(also they weren't gray which was unusual).

"If only they knew what I was really like." she mused to herself.

Pulling into the Turner's driveway, Vicky thought a most unusual thought to herself:

"_Maybe I'll give the Twerp a break today..."_

She was shocked as soon as the thought crossed her mind. Why would she ever do that?

"I know, to lull him into thinking he'll have it easy, then I'll go back to evil babysitter Vicky and he'll be blindsided! Probably."

Getting out of the car and grabbing her suitcase which, with all of the stuff packed into it, was beginning to appear more and more like a mystical bag of holding and struggled with it to the front door before fishing out the spare key the Turner's gave her and inserting it in the keyhole, she swung the door open(tempting as it was to kick it in she didn't want to hire a contractor to fix it).

"_Or just blame it on Timmy like I normally would." _Again came the feeling of giving him a reprieve from her now established cruelty and she couldn't explain why this time.

"Maybe I'm just not feeling well today... I'll just lie down for a while and probably feel better when I get up... Twerp?" she called and received no reply then remembering that he was out with Tootie and their friends.

"Well whatever I could use the nap anyway." she said as she propped the suitcase up against the couch and dropped into the soft cushions. She was asleep almost immediately.


	4. Chapter 4

"Cosmo, Wanda! Help!" Timmy yelled to his Fairy Godparents.

"Timmy! What's wrong?!" His godparents poofed into existence, the concern evident in Wanda's voice, Cosmo on the other hand was polishing a quarter much more concern over it's well-being than his charge's.

"Why is Vicky still a babysitter?! I wished that she would retire last night! But my parents left a note saying she will be over to babysit me all summer!" Timmy yelled, the fear in his voice quite obvious.

"Well maybe it's a glitch or something with our magic, it wouldn't be the first time... and lets not forget that the whole reason you got us was because of Vicky torturing you, maybe it's a sign?"

"Don't care, need to not die, I wish Vicky retired from babysitting... again!"

Timmy's godparents raised their wands which glowed with light, then promptly fizzled out and went flaccid.

"Really?!" Timmy yelled out.

"Well er... maybe we could try something else? Why are you so worried anyway? I'm pretty sure Vicky isn't going to kill you, she would get in a lot of trouble for that. Wait... this doesn't have anything to do with that dream you had does it sport?"

Wanda was piecing things together far faster than Timmy would have liked, that was exactly the reason he was going to be killed by Vicky and he knew somehow Vicky would find out about the dream, in the years he had known Vicky she was becoming far too smart for her own good, it wasn't wrong to say that she was likely closer to finding out about Timmy's fairies than Crocker had ever been, still in these situations where someone was going to find information that Timmy didn't want them to, he knew a tactic that always worked: deny, deny, deny.

"Nope definitely not I most certainly did not have a mildly romantic dream involving Vicky, you're crazy for even suggesting such a thing!"

Yep he definitely did not deny that far too strongly for it to be the case.

"I didn't suggest anything..."

"Well good, cause its not the case... anyway I have an idea. If I cant make Vicky retire, then I'll just wish for summer to be short and back to normal that way I don't break the space-time whatever."

"Continuum."

"Gesundheit. Anyway I wish summer was back to normal!"

Again his godparents raised their wands and again the familiar sound of them not working was heard.

"Are those broken or something?"

"I don't think so... try some other wish."

"I wish I had a banana split."

Once more they raised their wands and this time the wish was granted and a banana split appeared in Timmy's hands.

"Okay... what's going on here?"

"I'm not sure sport, this is certainly strange... Why don't you head out for a while and try to cool off, I'll have a look in the rulebook and find out if anything like this is mentioned."

"*sigh* Alright fine I made plans with Tootie and the guys anyway maybe I just need some fresh air."

Timmy left his room and started for the front door grabbing the spare key his parents left him and the credit card just in case he needed to buy something. Exiting his house he locked the door (his parents had reminded him too many times to do this by now) and started in the direction of the mall, and, towards what he assumed would be the last vestiges of freedom this summer.

A short while later Timmy arrived at the mall (thank goodness for public transportation) and met Chester, Tootie, and AJ at the food court, they had already ordered their food and had done so for him as well, which was easy, he had the habit of ordering the same thing every time they came down here: cheeseburger and fries and to hell with anyone who said the cholesterol would kill him, he had magic on his side and didn't expect to live much longer than a week at the rate things were going anyway.

"So what's new and exciting with you guys?" Timmy asked.

AJ went first.

"Well my parents and I are heading to cape cod for the summer to see the sights, apparently we'll be gone for a month or more, my dad says it will be a good bonding experience to drive there rather than fly."

"_Shit, one down." _Timmy thought to himself.

Chester went next.

"My dad is planning on hitching our trailer up to the truck and driving around the country to chase his dream of being a country music star. So who knows how long I'll be gone, I'm sure we'll be back though, this isn't the first time he has had this idea..."

"_That's two now..." _Timmy didn't like where this was going.

Lastly Tootie chimed in:

"I don't know if my parents have anything planned but they have been acting kind of suspicious... maybe they're going to surprise me! Oh! And before I forget Vicky called and said she is going on a vacation for the summer too."

"Vicky's babysitting me because my parents are going to Tibecuador for the whole summer and probably for the early fall as well... Her idea of a vacation must be to torture me all summer, she does get quite a kick out of it."

"Huh, so that's what she meant when she called me earlier today..."

"Shit man, I'm sorry to hear that. We were all so happy when Vicky stopped babysitting us, we had heard that her customers were dropping like flies. I heard my mom talking to someone over the phone saying you were like, her last customer or something." replied AJ.

"Yeah lucky me..."

"Well don't worry too much Timmy, my sister has really mellowed out lately, maybe it won't be so bad..." this from Tootie.

"Yeah I'm sure we'll have lots of fun!" the sarcasm was quite evident in Timmy's voice.

Timmy knew better than to bring up even the barest hints of the dream he had last night to anyone but that didn't stop it from flooding his thoughts near constantly, where did that dream come from? Could it have been from the amount of time he and Vicky had spent with each other in such close proximity? It was fair to say that due to his parents neglectful nature (whether or not they did this consciously, he wasn't sure) he had probably spent more time around Vicky and (as much as he didn't want to admit it) he was actually closer to her than he was to his own parents. There were a few instances he would never forget, where Vicky's softer and extremely well hidden side came out and he felt that maybe underneath the demonic babysitter visage was just another human girl who had needs and wants like anyone else that didn't involve violence and world domination. He could even admit that she had stuck her neck out for him a few times and he had returned the favor to the best of his abilities. Hell he could admit that when she wasn't trying to maim him or otherwise inflict bodily harm she was even cute...

The shock of this thought caused Timmy to gasp and inhale the drink he had been absently sipping causing it to as he put it 'go down the wrong pipe'. He was now choking and sputtering out of nowhere and Tootie began slapping him on the back.

"Jeez Timmy, you okay?"

Though he found his voice to be just over a choked whisper he managed to get out:

"Yeah, fine... wrong pipe that's all."

Satisfied with the answer and that her friend was no longer choking to death Tootie returned to talking to Chester and AJ. Timmy himself joined in the conversation after a few deep breaths. A few hours later it was time for everyone to head out and they said their goodbyes, it seemed they would not see each other for quite some time since everyone but Timmy was going away for the summer (except Tootie but that was open to change any day now) Chester and AJ were, as it turned out leaving the next morning to go on their respective cross country trips and Timmy simply didn't expect to see them again because, as was said before, he would soon be dead.

After taking the city bus back to their neighborhood Timmy and Tootie (Chester and AJ's parents had picked them up from the mall and while Tootie's would have, she wanted to head back with Timmy due to her still having the dying lights of affection towards him) walked back to their respective houses together, they went to Tootie's first even though Timmy's was closer due to a combination of chivalry on Timmy's part and partly because he wanted to postpone his death sentence as long as possible.

"Well here we are."

Timmy hadn't noticed how far they had walked as he was trying to piece together his mind after the combination of the strange dream he had with the fact that death was fast approaching (he by now figured that with the amount of baby sitting she had done Vicky probably had enough money to kill him as her crowning babysitting achievement and then pay off all the right people so she would get off scot-free) and finally the fact that despite the intense fear he received from her presence there was some part of him deep in his mind where one normally locks away their various psychoses from the world that _liked _Vicky or at least felt something positive from thinking about her. The fresh air that Wanda suggested he get only drove him further towards the edge of his sanity!

"Alright Timmy I'll see you later then?"

"Not likely."

"Ugh... you worry too much." There was a playful mocking tone in this statement that Timmy noticed.

"That's how I've stayed alive this long."

"Yeah sure. Alright bye."

"Bye, should I turn up dead before you see me then it's pretty safe to say Vicky did it."

Tootie just stuck her tongue out at him in reply and closed the door to her house.

"Well time to face my demons I guess..."

_Meanwhile..._

Wanda was painstakingly checking the enormous book entitled 'Da Rules' looking for any reason as to why two seemingly unrelated wishes would fail. Cosmo meanwhile was cowering in fear of an orange cat with tire tracks along its body, a general disheveled appearance and an eye patch, she couldn't quite place the cats name but remembered it was her husband's problem not hers and returned to her book.

"Aha! Here we go! "A child's wish can not be granted and could potentially be undone without prior warning should it be deemed too selfish or have any bearing on love in the child's life, not necessarily the child's own personal love but not necessarily _not_ the child's own love." ...So either we can't grant the wishes because they are too selfish or there is love at work here somewhere..."

"What?" asked Cosmo.

"Not now honey I need to figure this out, play with the cat or something."

Said cat extended its far larger than any cat should have claws and began slicing Cosmo into fillets.

"Thank you dear, now lets see... granted the wishes were definitely selfish but that doesn't usually stop them from being granted (in fact it very rarely stopped them from being granted) so that leaves love... Well my relationship with Cosmo is just fine... and Timmy's parents are out enjoying their four hundred and seventy... eighth honeymoon, so they're fine... Timmy gave up on Trixie Tang and she never cared about him anyway... and he told us Tootie gave up on him a short while back... So that leaves-"

Realization dawned on Wanda then and she hoped she was wrong and it was indeed just the fairy council not granting a selfish wish, but somehow she had a feeling it was what she had concluded through trial and error, something that had now been put into motion and could not be stopped. It made sense seeing as how they spent so much time together even if they didn't particularly _seem_ to like each other, she deduced that at some point they had, in the deepest reaches of their beings developed feelings for one another and were probably not even aware of it yet. Timmy had unknowingly set things into motion with his wishes.

"How serendipitous... or perhaps not once Timmy finds out. I... should probably tell him, there's nothing in the rules about that."

Wanda knew this wouldn't be a fun conversation, the fact that Timmy had unknowingly developed feelings for the person who had through her actions brought Timmy the immense happiness of receiving Fairy Godparents but only by making herself out to be the cruelest person he knew was likely going to be quite a shock to him.

They say love is blind, but apparently it was also deaf and possibly catatonic as well.

A/N: I'm probably going to update this daily except on the weekends as my current financial situation prevents access to the internet on the weekends but who knows maybe I can write over the weekend and upload a bunch of chapters on Monday, we'll see how it pans out. I'd like to give special thanks to Samuel Sadi and hoagie for inspiring me to start writing (in general) and about this pairing ans Samuel again for teaching me how to make an author's note at the end of the story. And finally thank you to my reviewers. Let us hope this author's note comes out correctly.


	5. Chapter 5

_The city was burning. And by her hand no less, she had never particularly liked Dimmsdale (or Brightburg but it was a city sized crater now so it mattered little) but she wondered if her family had escaped or not, she knew Tootie did she was the only person she warned after all. Her parents might have been warned by Tootie but they didn't deserve to escape after what they had done to her, cast her out, their own flesh and blood!_

_She never had many friends, the other babysitters, of which she was the de facto leader were never really her friends just pawns in a game she could no longer remember and she knew they hated her anyway, no she didn't have friends, well, perhaps she did have one, _him, _he had been spared her wrath. She extended the offer to him before she began to burn the cities and he had hesitated, she couldn't blame him what she offered was safety but at a tremendous cost, his family and his friends would not enjoy the safety the would burn in their cities._

_Eventually one week later he accepted her offered hand and joined her in her ship which was best described as a helicarrier she supposed, she had seen one in some movie and loved the idea from the start, granted it would be expensive but for Vicky money was no object. She had asked him why he would join her, (not to say she didn't want him there if he had refused she likely would have forced him into it anyway, she wouldn't, _couldn't, _leave him to die like the others and she suspected why she felt this way) and he told her he didn't know but when he said this and their eyes met his blue and hers pink she could see it, the reason, and she embraced him and could feel his body shake ever so slightly from sobbing and for a second she wondered how someone like her who destroyed so much could possibly be loved by someone like him._

"_Better not to think about it." She thought to herself._

_When you read the stories about how good always wins and the big bad is defeated you thought that's how it's supposed to be right? Except that isn't how it went she had won and no one could stand against her. Unbeknownst to her, it was because he had intervened, in this world he had stopped everything that could have stopped her with the magic from his fairies, he knew what she was doing, destroying everything, but some emotion deep within him wanted her to be okay, wanted her to survive, and wanted her to win. And so she did and even if she never knew it was he who kept her safe and even if the world collapsed around them he was happy that she reciprocated the feelings that he himself did not understand._

_She stood now at the bridge window of the carrier in an outfit that was unusual for someone of her current station, she had imagined herself to be wearing a dictator's outfit or a soldier's uniform, or maybe even an evil catsuit but instead she wore her green tank-top, her hair in a ponytail, white shorts, and sandals, not her usual attire but she felt the whole evil dictator look was far too cliché. She heard footsteps approaching from behind; he was trying to sneak up on her but evidently wasn't as good as he thought he was, still, she would play along. She felt his arms snake around her waist, he was taller now but still shorter than her._

"_I honestly thought you'd wear something more evil for someone who was systematically destroying every city, town, and person she didn't like."_

"_You're not very sneaky and besides those evil outfits are far too cliché for someone like me."_

_Ignoring the blow to his ego he continued:_

"_Well let me just say I much prefer this outfit to those."_

"_Flattery will get you everywhere."_

_She didn't have to turn around to know that his face was turning red._

"He is still so easy to tease." _She thought._

_An introspective about what she was doing could wait, she wanted some affection, a need born from her parents love towards Tootie and lack of it towards her, not to mention the drinking and hitting by her father, there was that too. She spun around in his grasp so she could face him and, as she had guessed, his face was tinted just slightly pink (though this was admittedly hard to tell with the light of a dying city pouring in) and leaned in towards his face so they were only centimeters apart, the tint darkened to a rosier red._

"_Glad to see I still have this effect on you Twerp."_

_Over time (though he was uncertain as to when the change occurred) the nickname Twerp became less insult and more term of endearment even before they had entered this... relationship. He certainly no longer minded being called Twerp, but when they were alone and behind closed doors away from all prying eyes she would call him Timmy and he felt even more emotion from her and more love towards her during these times._

_She pulled him closer and felt his lips on hers and she felt that even with a burning city behind them that all was right with the world. She tried to deepen the kiss-_

CLICK

Vicky awoke to the sound of the front door being unlocked. She remembered going to sleep on the couch because she wasn't feeling well but wondered exactly how long she had been out, she looked outside and saw that it must have been around the hour of twilight. The only person who had keys were Timmy, his parents, and now her and seeing as how they were probably halfway to Tibecuador by now, process of elimination left her with Timmy finally being back.

"_God, what a weird dream, me and the _Twerp_? I must be losing my mind that or someone in my brain is really sick! I wonder if it was dream at all or a glimpse into another reality."_

Now one might question the other things in the dream like the flying death fortress or the burning cities but these weren't particularly unusual for Vicky's dreams only the part about Timmy was.

She could hear Timmy attempting to stealthily make his way through the house.

"_Still not very sneaky._" she mused.

Thinking quickly she rested her head on her pillow and closed her eyes pretending to be asleep. Without being able to see she could hear ever so slightly better and he was beginning to say something.

"I guess she is kind of pretty when she isn't trying to kill me or torture me or yelling at me."

"_What am I saying?! This is Vicky! The girl who is evil!" _he thought to himself.

"_And pretty." _And just like that his very thought s betrayed him and he decided it would be better to slink off to his room and postpone the inevitable torture (or death) she had planned for him.

Of course Vicky heard this and, waiting until she heard his bedroom door close to erupt in a (barely controlled) fit of giggles, though at the same time she felt the slightest flutter in her heart, where people claimed there must only be a black hole. It was so slight that she barely noticed it, but notice it she did, and it scared her and made her happy at the same time to think that while she had feelings for him he might in fact, feel the same or at least similarly towards her. But fear would win out for now and she sealed those thoughts away.

"Better to think on them later."

Timmy's parents had told her to make sure that he stayed out of the liquor cabinet but she was beginning to feel like she may need a drink at this rate. It was then that a thought occurred to Vicky, the Turner's had not told her where she was supposed to sleep. She most certainly wasn't going to sleep on the couch all summer and she wasn't about to use Timmy's parents room either, which only left hoping that there was a guest room or...

"Stealing Timmy's bed from him." A smile graced her lips.

"_Or sharing the bed with him." _This thought was... unwelcome to say the least.

"Grr... Bad thoughts! Bad _bad _thoughts!" Vicky was not in the mood for an internal conflict today especially one that could lead to serious trouble if not approached in the right way.

"_Right way?! I'm actually considering this?! Never mind what my heart flutters at or wants, this is seriously messed up!"_

Vicky slapped herself once, twice across the face and then followed with some deep breathing.

"Okay, everything's fine I'm fine. Just need something to take my mind off of all this... I know! Mind numbing video games!"

Vicky's interest in video games had grown since she started babysitting Timmy and she had to admit, it was a great way to blow off steam... unless you got angry and threw a controller... or console... or couch. Well it didn't matter it wasn't hers anyway if she broke it, it was just something she could blame Timmy for breaking.

"_Or replace yourself."_

"And why would I do that me?" As soon as the question left she wished she could have reeled it back.

"_Because you like him."_

It was going to be a long first night for Vicky at the Turner house.


	6. Chapter 6

Timmy crept up the stairs to his room hoping that none of them creaked and woke Vicky, he was terrified that he might have woken her when he unlocked and opened the front door, but it seemed to him at least that luck was on his side for she had not awoken and he was able to creep up to her on the couch and get a good look at her, this was when the thoughts of his dream bubbled to the surface and he admired that she was, in fact, quite beautiful when asleep and not filled with murderous intent. He wanted the thoughts to go away but his luck betrayed him in that regard and he found himself wondering if a relationship with Vicky might ever be possible.

"_Not in this universe..." _He thought to himself.

On the other hand these thoughts bothered him immensely, when had his feelings changed from her being his evil babysitter to something more? There were, admittedly, a few times she had helped him and he her, one that stuck out more than the others was when they had been trapped in the avalanche together and he suggested they try to huddle together for warmth, she had immediately tackled him and wrapped her arms around him, clearly without a second thought. Thinking of it brought a dusting of pink to his cheeks, he was shocked by her actions, but not necessarily averse to them. Then, when the 'yeti' attacked them she had thrown herself between it and him merely stating at his shock: "We hugged", of course, the 'yeti' had simply been a California surfer dude who was wearing a massive parka and for some reason had creepy eyes. He remembered she blamed him as the bad guy saying he kept her from the surfer, he was not amused by her about-face but certainly not surprised by her actions.

"_Why do I even bother looking out for her?"_ He knew deep down why but refused to admit it; the reason he had his fairies was because of Vicky, by her actions she had brought happiness to his relatively boring life and because of this she was probably one of the most important people in his life.

"_Maybe that is why the wish failed..."_

Either way he needed to talk to Wanda, she was capable after all, she had most likely found out the reason the wishes had failed by now, and he really needed to figure out these feelings that he was beginning to have. He didn't want to talk to anyone about the dream he had or the feelings but he trusted Wanda and knew she would know how to sort this out or at least give him advice about it.

Opening the door to his room he audibly sighed.

"Jeez what a day..."

His godparents poofed out of their fishbowl, Wanda with a concerned expression on her face, Cosmo wrapped in bandages so only his eyes showed.

"Cosmo what happened?" there was alarm in Timmy's voice though he was unsure as to why, Cosmo had weathered far worse than what the bandages suggested.

"Jimmy happened." replied Cosmo.

"Jimmy! That was his name! That was gonna bother me all week!" exclaimed Wanda.

"Jimmy?" queried Timmy.

"The cat."

"Oh..."

"Well anyway uh... how was your day sport?"

"Weird to say the least I seem to have come to a rather disturbing revelation today. But first, what info did you find about the wishes?"

"Well I'm down to two possibilities sport, the first is that the fairy council who approves wishes finally caught up to you and denied the wishes being granted because they felt you were being selfish...OR um... heheh... this is awkward..."

Ignoring Wanda's hesitation Timmy spoke up:

"Well I guess it took them long enough to catch up, I'll admit I've made some... mildly selfish wishes now and then... Alright fine more than mildly selfish. But before you continue I need to ask some advice..."

"Shoot." Wanda was immensely grateful for the postponement of the news she had to tell Timmy.

"I think I may have feelings for someone... someone that my having feelings for is deeply disturbing and confusing for me."

"Timmy I'm married to an idiot who can't take care of himself even with magic, I'd say love in this universe is blind, deaf and dumb." Wanda had a feeling that she knew where this was headed, things had been set in motion and there was no stopping it now.

"It's..." he was terrified to admit it, what if Vicky heard? There would be no end to his torment, she would use this against him for the rest of his days, and that was assuming she didn't just rip him from existence should she find out.

"Tootie?" Wanda knew now by his hesitation, but thought that it may be more fun to torture her godchild, if only a little...

"No she's over me, I told you that."

"Trixie?"

"No I'm over her."

"Hmm... Veronica?" this was getting fun.

"Wait who?"

"Trixie's friend. She apparently adores you with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns."

"I uh... no I didn't even- are you messing with me?!"

"Kind of, Veronica does have a crush on you though, also she's crazy."

Timmy was beyond annoyed by now.

"It's Vicky okay?!" he yelled it without meaning to and slapped his hands to his lips almost instantly, he prayed Vicky had slept through his outburst; once again however, luck was not on his side for down in the living room trying to get her mind off the fact that she was developing feelings for the Twerp Vicky heard Timmy yell that 'it' was her.

"I'm what?" she questioned.

Back in Timmy's room...

"Settle down sport I know."

"Wha- You- you _knew_?!"

"Well alright I didn't _know_, not for sure, but I had my suspicions."

"Since when?!"

"Well I was going to tell you before you interrupted me , that the second reason the wish might not be granted is when there is love involved which, there very clearly is. And the dream you mentioned as well, I'm your fairy godmother Timmy, moms are smart."

"So you're saying that I love Vicky...?"

"Well it may not be love yet, but it will be soon. Probably."

"So what do I do?"

"There isn't much you can do, I'd say just go with it, the heart wants what the heart wants, even if it doesn't know it yet."

"And you're okay with... this?"

Wanda gestured to Cosmo who was again playing with Jimmy and likely seconds away from getting shredded again.

"I'm... really not a fair judge if you compare my decisions in life."

"Alright thanks Wanda."

"Anytime sport, if you'll excuse me, I have to go treat Cosmo's wounds before he bleeds out."

Wanda poofed the cat away and returned herself and Cosmo to their goldfish forms before leading him into their fishbowl castle, leaving Timmy alone with his thoughts.

"Well I suppose it isn't the worst case scenario, Vicky may be evil but she isn't unhinged like Tootie or Trixie (or Veronica apparently) but if it's all one sided and only I like her and she doesn't like me she could just use this to blackmail me. Gah! This is all too much!" he briefly wondered about raiding his parents liquor cabinet after all but decided against it.

"_At least for now..."_

Thinking he had had enough introspection for today and feeling suddenly very tired, he hopped into his bed and being too tired to realize the change from his normal bed he was accustomed to smacked his head on the bed's upper bunk.

"Ah! Damn it all!" the bump jogged his memory enough so that he recalled that a few years back he asked his parents to buy him a bunk bed so that he could hang blankets from the top bunk and build a fort, something he had only done a couple times before simply using the top bunk for storage. The bed itself was odd, most bunk-beds being situated as one bed on top of the other, but this on had the beds placed so that one was angled horizontally and the other vertically, perpendicular to each other but Timmy thought it would only increase the fort building possibilities. His parents, not particularly caring for his reasons, figured he could use a new bed anyway and obliged him. Now, of course, he felt it was unfortunate that the top bunk sat neglected and used as storage but it couldn't be helped. Lying his head upon his pillow he felt the embrace of sleep envelop him and hoped that the night was finally over and prayed for a good night's sleep.

His prayers would go unanswered.

* * *

Vicky sat on the living room couch now, contemplating the words she heard Timmy yell. She was too preoccupied to wonder exactly who he had yelled at. Her gaming session now forgotten, she knew that what she felt for Timmy was strange but somewhat unsurprising, after all, two people spending time together would inevitably blossom into something, be it friendship or something more, but _this? _It confused Vicky, but at least she had something: he felt something for her and she knew it, but he didn't know that she felt it for him. She was happy to have a leg up in this regard at least. Her thoughts now returned to her other problem, where would she sleep?

"_In _his_ room..."_ the bad thoughts had returned.

Feeling like maybe that would be a bit too forward and possibly reveal too much before she was ready to, Vicky settled for the couch tonight.

"For _now..." _an evil smile graced her lips, it seemed the bad thoughts were winning out.

Taking out her phone she looked at the time and saw that it was already eleven at night.

"Time flies when you're havin' fun."

Grabbing her blanket from her suitcase (and leaving the teddy bear tucked away in case Timmy awoke before her) she wrapped herself in it and returned to lying on the couch, within minutes sleep claimed her as well.

* * *

A/N: So things are moving right along, albeit slowly, the bunk bed idea I actually got from a furniture catalog I saw as a kid, I always wanted it for the same purpose as in the story but eh, some things aren't meant to be. I actually had to go looking around the internet for the name of the cat, it really would have bothered me all week. Finally for those who have asked about how old the characters are, I haven't expressly indicated it yet because... I'm not sure what to put them as yet. Either send me a PM or review suggestion or I'll figure it out eventually. Again thank you for reviewing/reading/favoriting. Next will be up most likely tomorrow, got a few things on my end to take care of, we'll see.


	7. Chapter 7

Vicky awoke once again to the sound of mechanical alarm bells ringing, she felt somewhat stiff from sleeping on the couch, something she had promised herself she wouldn't do because this was your reward for sleeping on the couch. Still she wasn't yet ready to confront Timmy with the fact that she was commandeering his bed from him for two reasons; the first being that she didn't want to be completely evil and kick him out of his bed and make him sleep on the couch instead and the second reason being that she didn't want to be evil in a whole other sense and share his bed with him.

"_At least not yet..."_

Sleep had brought with it the realization that Vicky was losing the inner battle of her thoughts and she was not necessarily displeased with this fact, but still, she was feeling some trepidation about where this all might lead, after all, she was six years his senior and while she (though she would never admit it and would harm those who suggested it) had almost no experience with relationships and the few relationships she did have were train-wrecks at best. She didn't know if he had any experience in this field either. She hoped he didn't, and hoped he did at the same time; on one hand she preferred to be the more experienced one in most of her interactions (especially true in Timmy's case) but on the other hand she did not wish for him to be completely in the dark about this, what with her having little experience herself and not really being a suitable teacher in that regard.

"I'm gonna get some breakfast first. Think on this later." She was becoming quite skilled at procrastinating when it came to thoughts about her charge.

Venturing to the kitchen Vicky made a startling discovery the Turner's credit card was on the kitchen table, she was sure Timmy would have taken it when he went out.

"Must've put it back or never taken it."

She then made another, significantly less pleasant discovery, the Turner's, for whatever reason, left without restocking any food or drink in the house.

"This feels familiar." Looking in the fridge she found a lonely carton of orange juice, with only a few ounces left in it. "So does _this_."

Vicky hated the idea of going shopping on an empty stomach, but she had little choice in the matter, so she finished the orange juice then checked the time:

"Seven fifteen..." she needed to turn off that alarm so she stopped getting up so early and could sleep in. "oh well...better wake him up. **Ahem** TWERP!" (This was still Vicky after all.)

Hearing a sound that could only be him falling out of bed and chuckling to herself that some things never change regarding the fact that he always came when she called him, she heard him trudge down there stairs, the hesitation obvious in his footfalls.

"Yeah Vicky?" (she noted that he sounded pretty tired but no matter.)

"Apparently your parents want the two of us to starve to death so I'm going out to get some things, any requests?"

"What do you care what I want?"

"Because I don't get paid if your parents return home to find you dead." she was hurt (though not surprised) that he thought she didn't care about him. "Now, What. Do. You. Want?"

"Uh... some... things I suppose... Orange juice, cereal, milk, deli meat, cheese, bread... you know usual stuff to cover breakfast, lunch and dinner..."

"Alright, in the meantime... Here." Vicky produced from her pocket a long list of chores that Timmy assumed she had thousands of copies of. "You can do these while I'm gone, just like old times eh?"

"But I-"

"Or if you would prefer..." Vicky hesitated now, if she finished her sentence it would be another step towards the eventuality that she was not yet aware of. "you could come with me."

Timmy looked at the list and then at Vicky, he would have to do the chores either way but if he went with her he could at least postpone them and mentally prepare himself for them which may make them easier to deal with... but the growing emotions he felt towards her made him wonder if going with her was a good idea.

"Time's a'wastin'." he could hear the impatience growing in her voice.

"...I'll go get dressed."

"Make it quick."

Timmy shuffled out of the kitchen and back upstairs, Vicky waited until he left before changing from her usual frown to a slight grin. She figured he would have chosen to stay but was not unpleasantly surprised to find that he wanted to go with her. She was starting to feel almost giddy from her thoughts when he re-entered the kitchen dressed in his usual attire.

"Shall we?" he sounded like a zombie.

"Careful there Twerp, you're way too excited now."

Walking back to the living room Vicky approached her suitcase which Timmy noticed had a sword hilt sticking out of it, he had a brief mental image of Vicky, in one swift motion , grabbing the sword, unsheathing it, and slicing him in two, but instead she merely reached past it and grabbed her car keys. There was an audible sigh of relief from Timmy that Vicky ignored, for the most part.

"_What'd he think I was going to do, kill him when his guard was down? _She looked at the swords sticking out of her suitcase. _"Oh, right..."_

Getting in the car Timmy looked over the list, not knowing when exactly it changed hands. Looking at the list of chores he realized that most of them had already been done either by him or his parents.

"_She does just have copies of the same list! Well at least I don't have to do most of it. I hope."_

Backing out of the driveway Timmy noticed Denzel Crocker's totally not suspicious white van parked across the street.

"Jeez he never gives up." said Timmy.

"Yeah I know, he investigated me when I was younger thinking I had magic powers or something because I'm so mean."

Timmy knew the answer but asked anyway.

"Did you have magic powers?"

She flashed a smile at him. "Nope. Just evil."

"Well I wouldn't go _that_ far..."

"Oh really?"

"Well I mean if you were evil then you wouldn't have protected me that time when we were caught in the avalanche and we... um... hugged."

She hadn't forgotten that incident but they had agreed not to talk about it, the thought brought a dusting of pink to both of their faces.

"That was necessary so that we didn't freeze to death, it was a desperate time and it called for desperate measures."

The pink on her cheeks emboldened him slightly and he continued.

"So the times when we were in dire straits and things like that happened, it didn't mean anything?"

"I didn't say that."

There was a hint of nervousness in her voice, she was no longer on top in this situation, and she didn't like it.

"Then what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we can talk about this later after we are done shopping."

"Why not now?"

"Because I don't want to right now dammit!" she hadn't meant to snap at him but the role reversal was jarring to her. "Just- let's just finish shopping, you finish your chores, and let me stop and think about this, I'm sure you need to think more on it as well, and then we'll talk, hell I might even help you with your chores if you play your cards right."

She was feeling unsure again about her thoughts, she may be okay with a relationship, and he might be too, but society had its own ideas of what was and wasn't okay and their relationship might be... frowned upon to say the least. People might say things like "How long has this been going on?" "Since he was ten?" "Since he was _eight_?" Even with all she had at her disposal it would be hard to wriggle out of this kind of trouble, whether it was true or not. Timmy's voice snapped her back to reality.

"Who are you and what have you done with my babysitter?"

"Very funny."

Timmy noticed that Vicky didn't look happy but at least she was willing to talk about these new emotions that were apparently plaguing them both, plus she had offered to help him with his chores, so they were making progress.

Shortly thereafter they arrived at the supermarket and Vicky parked up front in a handicapped space.

"Vicky, neither of us are handicapped, this isn't well, y'know, legal?"

"I could always make you handicapped if you would prefer that to illegally parking?"

"_Maybe I should just keep my distance and try to stay on her good side for now... if she has a good side." _Timmy thought to himself.

He merely looked at her with a scared expression. This was evidently enough for her.

"Good, that's what I thought, now come on."

They entered the store happy for the respite from the summer heat.

"Alright Twerp." She said this over a stifled yawn. "You go get what you want, I'll get what I want and we'll meet at the check out in twenty minutes, don't make me have them call for you over the intercom."

Timmy was glad that Vicky was an apparently fast shopper like him, he would rather not run into Frances who had a habit of frequenting stores and shaking down whoever he could: senior citizens, small children, animals, magical creatures and the occasional eldritch abomination. So shaking down Timmy or his friends would be easy and in all likelihood they were his preferred targets.

Pushing the shopping cart at a brisk pace, Timmy grabbed everything he figured he would need for a while and quite a few things he almost certainly didn't, mostly junk food, but he wasn't paying, his parents were through their credit card, so what'd it matter? Not to mention he wanted to avoid Vicky's wrath if he took too long.

Vicky on the other hand, was pushing her cart around rather leisurely, she wasn't in all that much of a hurry, she merely wanted to keep Timmy on his toes. Entering one of the aisles she looked to the end to see Frances walking by, and he noticed her, the fear becoming evident on his face he quickened his pace and continued away from her.

"Great the gray one." Vicky was well aware that Frances bullied Timmy and originally this annoyed her to know end, Timmy was her property to bully, not his, now, however, she felt something else, perhaps a need to protect Timmy thanks to these new emotions, but preferred not to make a scene in such a public place. "He'd better watch his ass in here." She was referring to both Timmy and Frances. She guessed Frances had no qualms about starting trouble in a supermarket but he was an idiot, so it really wasn't surprising.

Her shopping finished she took out her phone and called Timmy, (she wasn't really going to embarrass him by having him called over the intercom).

After a few rings he answered:

"Yeah?"

"You done?"

"Pretty much."

"All right meet me at the front of the store and we can go. Also, watch yourself Twerp, Frances is around."

"..." Hesitation from his end.

"Twerp?"

"You know about Frances?"

"I babysat him for a few months and you for far longer, I _know_."

Timmy was surprised by this and briefly wondered which was the lesser of the two evils Frances or Vicky?

"All right I'll be careful, thanks Vicky."

"... Just hurry up Twerp." Over the years Frances had grown up quite a bit physically and Vicky wondered if in a one on one fight if she would be able to best him. Her advantage was that he still feared her and she was thankful for that at least.

Heading to the twelve items or less register she began to pile her groceries on the conveyor.

"Ma'am this is the twelve items or less register, you can't-"

A deathly cold stare from Vicky silenced the woman and she began to scan her items, shaking slightly as she did. Vicky turned her attention to looking for Timmy and saw him looking at the check out stands, obviously for her. She whistled to get his attention and he headed over to where she was, his cart nearly as full as hers.

"You good Twerp?"

"Yeah I didn't see him."

"Lucky you."

Timmy put his things on the conveyor next. The cashier had a worried look on her face, she could lose her job over this, and figured her boss wouldn't believe she was intimidated by this red headed girl likely less than a third her age.

The total came to just over five hundred dollars.

"Glad your parents are footing the bill and not me."

"Like you couldn't afford it?" Timmy deadpanned.

"Not the point Twerp."

They left the store and loaded the groceries into Vicky's car, Timmy noticed that they were loading the groceries into the front, or rather that the trunk was in the front instead of the back. He hadn't noticed before but now realized Vicky's car was a rather expensive looking sports car.

"Is this thing street legal?"

Vicky paused in contemplation for several seconds. "Probably not."

Getting back in the car Vicky drove them out of the parking lot and back towards his house when Timmy decided to speak up:

"Um... thanks for warning me back there... in the store I mean..."

Vicky glanced over to him and he noticed that her features had softened ever so slightly at looking at him, she reached over and he flinched only to realize that she was just ruffling his hair a bit,

"Don't mention it Timmy, and don't worry, long as I'm around he should avoid bothering you." she didn't smile, merely keeping a neutral expression, but he thought he heard a smile in her voice when she said this. What concerned Vicky was that her statement was not entirely true, Frances almost certainly didn't know about her current arrangement with the Turners, and she couldn't keep an eye on Timmy at all times.

"_Guess I'll just have to do my best..."_

His flinching however, hadn't gone unnoticed by her and she felt a pang of guilt for eliciting that reaction from him. Timmy on the other hand, felt his face redden at her touch, she had never really hurt him physically but he flinched all the same, and her affectionate touch had caught him off guard, though not unpleasantly so. Also, had she called him _Timmy_? This was unprecedented, clearly there was something strange at work here.

"So how's the gang of Twerps doing?"

"Well Uh... AJ is going to Cape Cod with his family and they are apparently driving there so he'll likely be gone awhile; Chester's dad is trying to re-ignite his dream of being a country music star, so who knows when I'll see him again; I've kinda distanced myself from Elmer, that boil of his creeps me right the fuck out...

"_Amen to that."_ Thought Vicky.

"... I haven't the slightest idea what happened to Sanjay, I've not seen him in at least a year, and I don't know about Tootie she mentioned that your parents were going to surprise her or something..."

"They're going to the Bahamas, I saw the brochures..."

"They aren't taking you with them?"

"Yeah, exactly." Timmy could see the sadness in her eyes.

"Well I guess we have more in common than I thought."

"Looks that way..."

Timmy had grown accustomed to his parents leaving him behind when they went out but this was the first time they had gone on a long vacation and wouldn't be back for such a long time. He wasn't worried much, he was perfectly content to hang out with his friends and play video games rather than go to some faraway place. He hadn't expected to be left in the care of Vicky though, not for such a lengthy amount of time at least, but so far it had hardly been as bad as he expected. Vicky had really started to grow on him and while she was mean to him, she did look out for him, so she really couldn't be that bad.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Vicky's question snapped him back to reality.

"Eh, it's nothing."

"Well we're back, so how about helping me unloadthese groceries?"

He hadn't noticed that they were already back at his house, too lost in his thoughts apparently.

"Gotta give props to your parents, leaving us with no food and only a cup orange juice and various alcohol to drink, really good people."

After putting the groceries away, Vicky asked him what he had been dreading and hoped she had forgotten about:

"Alright Twerp let's see that chore list, and get this over with." Apparently we were back to 'Twerp' for now. He took out the list and handed it to her.

"Well my parents and I finished most of them already, apparently in preparation for them going on vacation, they didn't tell me that was why we were doing it though."

Vicky noticed that many of them were checked off, leaving only to clean the pool filters-

"_Pool? What pool? Oh right, the one I had him build a few years ago in summer, man that must have been a real scorcher... God, maybe I am evil..."_

-and water the garden.

"Wait you don't have a garden, every time your mom tries to grow things they die."

"You made the list Vicky."

"Oh right, well whatever, so clean the pool filters, lets do that... How do we do that?" Vicky's family didn't own a pool and if they did Vicky wouldn't waste her time learning to clean the filters, someone else could do a menial task like that.

"You just scoop out the dead leaves... or animals, and then put in some chlorine tablets."

"Dead animals?"

"It's an in ground pool, and animals are stupid. Don't worry though it's usually just mouse or two..."

"That's disgusting."

"Someone's gotta do it. Usually it's me."

"Ugh... fine let's get this over with."

Surprisingly there were no animals in the filters this time just dead leaves and debris. They were both thankful for this small miracle. They placed in new chlorine tablets and went back into the house. They noticed it was close to three in the afternoon by now.

"We should probably eat something before we collapse." said Timmy.

"What did you have in mind?"

"I dunno."

"Great suggestion Twerp! I'm gonna microwave something."

"Can't you cook something?"

"I am cooking something... with a microwave."

"I meant on the stove." Timmy deadpanned.

"Well I _could, _except... no.

Vicky began to open a box of microwaveable sliders. It was quick, easy, and had almost no clean up.

"Vicky... you do know how to cook _real_ food right?"

"Well... of course I do... I'm just lazy, that's all."

Timmy looked at Vicky.

Vicky looked at Timmy.

_-silence-_

"Alright fine! No not really, my parents preoccupied themselves with their little princess far more than me, nobody taught me to cook, and I never had any desire to learn, I just didn't care, so I've always made microwaveable crap. Are we done sharing now?"

"Ah sorry, I didn't know..."

"Yeah you didn't, so I can't really fault you for it, but now you do and I suggest you drop it."

"Fair enough. But I could teach you, I mean I've watched my mom cook so I know how to make some stuff..."

While Vicky was touched that he had offered, she felt that she showed enough weakness today.

"Not interested."

"Well the offer's there if you should change your mind."

"Whatever."

Timmy was unsure as to why her usual bluntness didn't bother him as much and why he felt like he had more patience than usual.

"_I suppose it's too hot to cook anyway..."_

He decided to have some sliders as well rather than heat up the house even more and sat down at the table across from Vicky, the silence between them becoming maddening, he decided to speak up:

"So how have things been?" a stupid question, he saw Vicky pretty frequently.

"Fine."

"Want to talk about the whole 'parents' thing?"

"Nope."

"Wanna go for a swim after we eat? I know for a fact the whole cramps thing is bullshit."

"No."

"...Wanna just sit in the living room watching bad horror movies until we get tired and we have to go to sleep?"

"...Alright.

Well it was something in Timmy's mind, he had decided that he could try to be friends with Vicky at least, it seemed likely that it couldn't be any more dangerous than staying enemies.

So after they ate, they went into the living room and sat down on the couch together, Timmy making sure to keep a respectable distance from Vicky, just in case. And so it was good times, they made fun of the horrible acting, bumbling monsters, and the fact that nobody could ever stop the one man army that the monster was, and they laughed like old friends would together, and Timmy learned that Vicky's normal laugh, the one no one knew about (being that most were used to her distinctly evil cackling laugh) was much preferable to the evil one. To him she laughed in an angel's voice.

"_Ugh... how poetic..."_

This continued well into the night until Vicky looked at her phone and realized it was already twelve-thirty at night. She hadn't wanted the time to go by so fast as she was enjoying their time together but it would be better to get some sleep rather than stay up into the wee hours of the morning. Yawning loudly she spoke:

"Alright Twerp time for bed, I think we both need some sleep."

Timmy yawned in agreement.

"Yeah I suppose." Then a thought crossed his mind. "Vicky are you... sleeping on the couch while staying here?"

"Well... yeah, I'm not gonna sleep in your parents room, and as far as I know you don't have a guest bedroom here."

"Well that's true but... I mean..." his nervousness was beginning to overpower his words.

"What?" there was an annoyed edge in her voice that she hadn't meant it to have.

"Well you could always come and sleep in my room..." the last words were squeaked out.

A sly smile graced her lips.

"Are you saying you want to sleep with me? Your evil babysitter?" her face turned slightly pink from the words, she hoped he wouldn't notice.

"Wha-! N-no! I-I have a bunk-bed that my parents got me a few years back! You could have the other bunk!" It did not occur at the time to Timmy that he was inadvertently causing Vicky to come closer to learning about his Fairies.

She inwardly giggled at how red and flustered he had become over her suggestion. At the same time she could not hide the slight disappointment that crept out from deep within herself.

"Oh, well in _that_ case... Lead the way."

Turning off the TV she followed him up the stairs to his room, grabbing her blanket and suitcase on the way. Opening the door, he invited her in and she got a look at the room she hadn't been in for several months. In the middle of the room sat a couch bigger than what was in the living room and in front of it sat a huge TV on an entertainment center filled with the latest games for all the big-name consoles. To her right was a desk with a computer on it and to the left of it was a door.

"_Probably to a closet or bathroom."_

To her left was the bunk-bed he told her about, built differently than any she had seen before, and next to that an end table upon which is fishbowl sat.

"_Those sure are some long-lived goldfish."_

She returned her attention to the entertainment center and, getting Timmy's attention, gestured to it.

"Let me guess... Internet?

"Indeed."

Wanda whispered to Cosmo, unheard by Vicky:

"Just act like a normal goldfish! For the love of everything! _Just act normal!"_

Cosmo responded by floating belly-up, obviously shocked by the fact that Vicky had been invited into Timmy's room, rather than breaking down the door.

Wanda face-palmed (face-finned?) at his reaction.

Timmy began moving the boxes that were on the top bunk, under his bed (which made more sense as a place to put them) and dusted it off.

"Well... there you go."

"Thank you Timmy..."

"_Back to Timmy now?"_

"Maybe you're not such a Twerp after all."

"Was that a compliment?"

Vicky merely shrugged in response and climbed onto the top bunk with her blanket. Timmy then crawled into the bottom bunk and rested his head on his pillow, just as he felt sleep about to take him, Vicky stuck her head out over the side.

"Goodnight Timmy."

"Goodnight Vicky."

She returned to her position on the bed and went to sleep, less than a minute after he followed suit.

* * *

A/N: I'd like to apologize in advance in regards to Vicky, I fear I might have made her a bit bipolar in this chapter when it comes to her emotions, but I imagine that she is probably somewhat unhinged, she's just better at covering it up than most of the other more obviously unhinged characters in the show; also I was kinda tired when I wrote some parts and not as tired for others so it's kind of an emotional roller coaster for her at times. That being said, I'm not changing it either so... :P


	8. Chapter 8

Vicky rolled out of bed, evidently forgetting that she had slept in a bunk-bed the night before, landing hip-first on the lower bed's bed post and then rolling onto the mattress, absently aware she was at Timmy's feet before the pain set in.

"Ah shit!" Vicky exclaimed. _"That's gonna leave a hell of a bruise... hopefully I didn't break my hip..."_

"Wha- **yawn** What happened? You all right?" queried Timmy.

"No, definitely not... I-I fell off the bed and onto this... fuckin' post!"

"Jeez I thought you were a red head, not a blonde."

She was annoyed that he was indirectly laughing at her pain now.

"One, I'm not used to sleeping in a bunk-bed, and two, no, I'm not all right, now _please_ get me some ice, I'm not moving for a while..."

"Sure sure, I'll be right back. Don't fall out of bed again." he said this with a smile akin to the one she gave the night before.

"Go!"

Timmy quickly ran out of the room and down the stairs, he was worried about her, but at the same time, wanted to mess with her for messing with him. He wasn't pleased to see her in pain, however, so he hurried in getting her ice and ran back up the stairs to his room. He found Vicky sprawled out on his bed, holding her hip, a pained expression on her face.

"Here." he handed her the ice pack.

"Thanks." she took it and placed it at her hip, hissing slightly as she did.

"Anything else I can get you?"

"Unless you've got a spare hip lying around... I don't think so."

Timmy remembered the conversation he had with Vicky the day before:

"So you want to talk about-"

"Not really, no."

"It might help you know, us, understand each other better?"

"I don't think so..."

"C'mon it wont hurt to talk about it."

"So you say... you're not gonna drop this are you?"

"I'd rather not, talking helps."

"*sigh* Fine, where do you want to start, Mr. Therapist?"

"Uh... the whole parents thing I guess?"

There was silence from Vicky. Timmy decided to speak first.

"Okay, I'll start, you know already that my parents are... not necessarily the best around... even before they hired you they weren't great, usually they would just tag each other out when it came to taking care of me, they were rarely both around and even then, they cared little for watching out for my safety. Then, when I was eight, they left me by myself because I told them I could take care of myself."

"Contradictory much?"

Timmy realized it sounded weird when he explained it like that and continued.

"Yeah, I know, after I had once told them I wanted them to be around more and missed them, they became even worse, over bearing and way too over protective of me, so _then_ I told them that they were too much and that I didn't need them to be so protective of me and could take care of myself."

"_Okay because so far this all makes _perfect _sense."_ Vicky thought to herself.

"Yeah I know, contradictory. So one day they left and I was suddenly terrified of being alone and then I found the flier for your babysitting service and shortly after that they came back, called you and well, the rest is history I suppose."

"So that's how we find ourselves here today." Vicky stated.

"Pretty much... I need to tell you something, and promise you won't be mad?" Timmy asked hopefully.

Vicky deadpanned at him.

"Hi, I'm Vicky, evil babysitter, nice to meet you." she stuck out her hand for him to shake it.

"Right. Anyway, when I found out you were my babysitter I thought we might be able to be friends, I didn't think you were going to be evil and, once I found out you were, I thought you were the worst thing that could've ever happened to me, you had my parents completely fooled and you tortured me every time we were together. You were horrible Vicky."

"Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Well, I just want to tell you that I was wrong."

"Huh?"

"Not about the torture or having my parents fooled, that was true, and I certainly didn't enjoy the torture. I mean the part where I said you were the worst thing that ever happened to me. You weren't in fact... I think meeting you may have been the best thing that ever happened to me..."

"Oh?" she thought he meant the growing emotions between them, and she was half right.

"Well, care to elaborate Twerp?"

"No I think I've shared enough for now..."

"Well... we could still be friends!" she said this rather hopefully.

"Vicky, I think we're already on that road don't you?"

"Yeah I guess so..."

"Okay then, now... your turn."

"My turn for what?" she knew what he was referring to but was playing dumb, hoping to avoid the questions.

"To share." It wasn't going to work on him. He had shared with her and now it was her turn, he cared about her enough not to back down.

"Grr... Fine, I didn't have an easy childhood I suppose, my father drank... a lot. And sometimes he hit my mom... and me." Timmy immediately regretted pushing her to talk, his parents were neglectful, not abusive. This wasn't going to be easy he realized. Vicky continued.

"My mom wasn't nearly as bad, but she lied, the one that sticks outmore than others was when she told me my pet turtle ran away, I realize now that he died but... Turtles can't run!"

Timmy could tell she was holding back tears, her eyes were just slightly puffy.

"We could stop for now if you want Vicky..." he wasn't very good at this whole therapy thing.

"And then-"

"_Apparently we're continuing..."_

"Tootie was born." there was a barely concealed hint of venom in her words.

"Things suddenly changed, my dad stopped drinking and hitting and my mom stopped lying."

"Well that's good, right?"

"Sure, my dad no longer hitting us and drinking was good, and you'd think my mother no longer lying would be too, but the reason she no longer lied was because neither of them seemed to be aware that I existed anymore, it was only them and their little princess, nothing, and no one else... I hated her for it, I knew it wasn't her fault, but I made her life miserable, and, once your parents called and hired me, I made yours miserable too. And the other kids I babysat too, I suppose."

"So all this time, when I thought you were evil, it was because you were pissed about your parents loving Tootie more than you and your shitty, forgive my bluntness, upbringing?"

Vicky had tears in her eyes now and when she spoke her voice cracked.

"Yep, pretty much... You can go ahead and return to hating me now."

This all came as a surprise to Timmy, he had for so long thought Vicky was just evil, now these facts coming to light turned his opinion of her on its head.

"Well I'll admit that for a while I did hate you... but, Vicky I didn't know... What you've been through... it wouldn't be fair for me to hate you, knowing what I do now. Well, maybe it would be somewhat fair, but that's not who I am."

"Timmy, I-I'm... sorry." her voice was barely above a whisper.

Timmy was dumbfounded by this display of emotion and humility from Vicky, he may have been accepting of the emotions he was beginning to feel for her, but her apologizing? _Vicky apologizing?_ He pinched himself to ensure he wasn't dreaming all this and, feeling the pain, realized it was very real.

"So... how's your hip?"

"Its not as bad as before, still sore though, and you're changing the subject. You asked me something, now I want to ask you something and I _need_ an answer."

"Okay..."

"Timmy do you forgive me? I know I probably don't deserve it... Okay I don't deserve it, but do you?"

"Well- I mean-..."

Timmy knew how he felt, she was horrible to him, truly so, but she had mellowed over the past year, it didn't stop him from being terrified of her coming over and babysitting him all summer, but that was a fear born out of instinct, a habit formed out of wanting to survive in her presence... a fear that had been relaxed away over the course of only a few days from meeting the real Vicky, and his feelings toward her were beginning to cloud his judgment slightly, he knew he couldn't keep her waiting for long though, when she said that she _needed_ an answer, the necessity of it was evident in her voice.

"Yeah I guess I do Vicky, you've had it rough, much rougher than I have, definitely, and it seems like we're in this together for the summer, so we certainly can't just go around feeling animosity towards each other while living under the same roof and sharing the same bed _-his face reddened at this- _so yes, I do forgive you."

Timmy was looking at his feet now, afraid to make eye contact with Vicky, knowing how red his face was. Several minutes passed before his courage returned enough to meet her gaze only for him to realize she had fallen asleep, a content expression on her face despite her now puffy eyes.

"Guess the therapy session's over for now... I really hope she caught all that,Cosmo, Wanda come on out." he whispered now to avoid waking Vicky.

"Aren't you worried Vicky will see us?"

"As long as we're _quiet_..." he gestured towards Cosmo. "We shouldn't have anything to worry about, that talk we had seems to have taken a lot out of her, maybe she's just relieved to have all that off her chest."

"Well at any rate, what'd you need sport?"

"I wish I had some x-ray glasses."

Wanda's face reddened at this.

"Timmy, I'm very disappointed in you! You're practically taking advantage of Vicky here, you should be ashamed!"

Timmy was surprised at Wanda's outburst, and taking advantage? Of what exactly?

"Wanda what are you talking about? You saw her fall off the bed onto the bedpost I just want to make sure her hip isn't broken..."

"Oh! I thought- that is to say- I- nevermind, here." Wanda raised her wand and a pair of hi-tech looking glasses appeared in Timmy's hands.

"Thanks Wanda, but what did you think I wanted them for, to see through... her..." Timmy's face now reddened at the realization. "Oh come on! I wouldn't do _that_! I thought I was supposed to have the perverted thoughts and ideas not you! I hadn't even entertained any thoughts like that... although I sure as hell am now, thanks to you!"

Wanda, clearly embarrassed, looked at Timmy then Cosmo, grabbed Cosmo and shouted: "Welp, gotta go! By Timmy!" and they both poofed away.

"Great leave me here alone with Vicky, and my _thoughts_!"

Timmy's words were met with silence.

"Alright let's see how these work..." looking at them he realized the glasses had a settings dial.

"Okay we have... clothes... well no need to touch that one! Flesh... and... everything else... guess I'll go with flesh and hope I'm assuming the way this works correctly."

Walking over to Vicky's right side he turned on the glasses and set the dial to 'Flesh', putting them on he was suddenly afraid to open his eyes. What if he had assumed wrong? He really didn't want to see Vicky sans clothing... Well some part of him did but... It felt wrong to see her like that. Mustering his courage Timmy opened his eyes to a slightly green Vicky skeleton.

"Phew for a second there I thought... Anyway back to business."

Looking at Vicky's hip he realized something:

"I have no idea what I'm doing." he wasn't a doctor he couldn't tell if there were any small breaks or not, all he could tell was that there were no large breaks, and looking closely, he didn't see any cracks in the bone. "Well hopefully she's fine and just has a bad bruise." taking off the glasses he placed them in the drawer of the end table and then looked at his phone.

"Nine-thirty... guess I'll go make breakfast..."

"Waffles..." this sleep addled voice came from Vicky.

"I thought you were asleep?"

There was no response from Vicky, her steady breathing continued.

"Right, waffles then."

Timmy headed the familiar route out of his room, down the stairs, through the living room, and into the kitchen and grabbed the box of waffles from the freezer, he had hoped to prove to her that he could cook, but if she wanted waffles, she was gonna get waffles. He put them in the toaster, silently thanking his parents for getting a toaster that could toast four things at once rather than two, he then grabbed maple syrup from the cupboard and returned to the waffles, four for him, four for her and now the box was half empty, he wished in his head he had bought more at the store and suddenly there was a second box of waffles in the freezer.

"Very funny..." apparently Cosmo and Wanda were listening to his thoughts or something.

Grabbing the plates and utensils, he returned to his room to find a still sleeping Vicky.

"Hey, Vicky, wake up."

No response. Not feeling like standing around until she woke up, he kicked the bed post, shaking the bed and waking her up.

"Ah! What's the big idea?! I'm injured, you have to be nice to me..." she said in a rather cute, Timmy had to admit, mock pouting voice.

"I brought you breakfast in bed."

"Oooh! How did you know I wanted this Twerp? I was just dreaming about waffles!"

"Um... Uncanny foresight?"

"I'll say!"

"So... your hip feeling better?"

"Well it doesn't hurt as much but I'm probably gonna have a pretty nasty bruise... so I guess no midriff bearing shirts for a while."

"My parents probably have some pain pills if that would help..."

"Nah, it isn't that bad... but uh... do you mind if I sleep in your bunk for now?"

"But- we can't-... y'know sleep in the same bed!" Timmy's face had become beet-red. "What would people say?"

"First of all, what would _who_ say? Second I was only joking around, you're so easy to tease... Unless you _want_ to sleep in the same bed...?" that characteristic sly smile of hers was back. The part of her that was scared of these new emotions was by now just shy of being gone, she had nearly completely embraced how she felt towards Timmy, but still found it fun to tease him now and again.

"I-I'll sleep in your bunk for now, at least until you're healed and are used to the idea of sleeping up there."

"Oh, you're so giving! Thanks!" She said this while fluttering her eyelashes at him. "Well did you want to do anything today Twerp? Go to the mall or get lost for a week in the Wall to Wall mart?"

"We should probably just stay in and let you recover..."

"Good, I didn't really feel like going anywhere anyway." Vicky had by now finished her breakfast and placed the dish on the end table.

"I'll take care of it for you. Later." Timmy stated.

"Yep, that's what I was counting on." With this Vicky turned over to face the wall and go back to sleep. "I'm gonna take a nap, wake me if anything interesting happens, y'know world ending catastrophes, things like that."

"You know, they say that sleeping too much is bad for you..."

"Meh, whoever 'they' are they don't have a nice, comfy bed to sleep in..." she turned over again to meet his gaze. "...Or a nice loving friend to take care of them." she noticed the pink on his cheeks and turned once again to the wall. "Heh."

Timmy knew she was trying to flatter him, but also knew that she did mean what she said. Timmy sat himself down on the large sofa in his room and turned on his TV and console and thought to himself:

"_I think I really do like her, like _really_ like her, and... she may actually feel the same..." _

* * *

A/N: This chapter was tough to write, I wasn't in my normal place for writing when I began it, so it was beginning to take its toll on me to finish it, hopefully it didn't suffer too much as a result. It felt like I was strangling the ideas out of my muse at times, so she probably wont be happy for a while. Also I kinda feel like this chapter was pushing the whole relationship thing between Timmy and Vicky a little too quickly, but as before I likely wont bother to change it.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I'm writing this note before the chapter itself, because I have literally no idea where this is going, my mind is addled by a particularly nasty sinus infection so who knows how far this rabbit hole is gonna go, but the show must go on so... Also note for everyone out there seeking good karma, if someone in your family is sick, and this person is not particularly known for _their_ good karma (because it doesn't exist) think twice before helping them, the road to hell is paved with good intentions as they say.

* * *

Vicky awoke to the sounds of Timmy playing some video game, _some_ because she didn't feel like turning over again to find out what it was, her hip was certainly much better than it was earlier, but the dull aches of pain were still there. Deciding to move she turned over and looked to the window, there was now an air conditioning unit in it. Looking past it, she realized it was now dark out. She looked over to Timmy who continued to play his game, from what she could see it was the newest Crash Nebula game, she had it back at her house but had opted not to bring it with her. She mostly played video games in her spare time, being the world's most evil babysitter tended to scare people away.

"Except for Ricky..." she didn't know where the thoughts of _him_ had come from, but she really wished they weren't around.

"I remember him..." Timmy suddenly spoke. "I introduced you two." _"Well in a manner of speaking..."_ It was true, he had wished for Vicky to find love. The wish spawned a person who was essentially a male version of Vicky, or so he thought, Ricky was far worse than Vicky, he remembered how things turned out, leaving Vicky and stealing from her to go be with Mrs. Crocker. He had realized now that he was responsible for hurting her, indirectly so, but he had wished up a _monster_, and he couldn't take it back.

"Yeah what a great guy, stealing from me every chance he got, and then running off with a woman three times his age, probably older..."

"Vicky, I-I'm sorry you know, I didn't know he was gonna be like that... and you were hurt by him..." his voice trailed off.

"You're over-thinking things Timmy, you couldn't have known that he was an asshole."

"_I could've and I did."_ Timmy thought to himself. "I wanted you to be happy, and I thought that if I introduced you to him, you would be. And maybe by extension, by you being happy, you would lighten up and not be as mean..."

"Instead we teamed up to torture you and the other kids I babysat, so I guess your plan kinda backfired eh?" she was laughing slightly now, less at him and more to just break the tension. There was only silence from Timmy now.

"I-uh yeah... sorry about that... But I'm happy now, I mean we're friends and we have similar interests."

"Friends? And you're not ashamed to admit that?"

"Of course not! It's not like I have a plethora of friends..."

"You don't?" Timmy had seen her with a group of babysitters before and had assumed they were her friends.

"That uh... was supposed to be a thought." Vicky responded, realizing she had revealed a little too much. "Alright fine, I don't really have any friends, okay? I mean there's Tootie but we're sisters, but that's about it..."

"We're friends!" Timmy added, he was assuring both himself and her now.

"Well yeah but we've already established that. I'm just not used to it yet..."

"What ever happened to Ricky anyway?"

"I took care of it."

Timmy didn't really like how that sounded: "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean all debts were repaid in full... and you should probably stop asking questions about him."

Timmy knew better than to continue down this line of questioning, he had never hurt Vicky (at least not intentionally) the way Ricky did, but didn't really want to know what the specifics were to what Vicky was saying.

"So..." Timmy struggled to come up with a different subject. "Do you like Crash Nebula?"

"I do... when I was younger I used to think he was a hunksicle... alright I still kinda do... but I like the games, and comics, and cartoon."

"Well you and my mom are in agreement over the whole hunksicle thing... but, I'm not really inclined to agree, being y'know... straight?"

"It isn't necessarily gay to think a man is attractive when you're a guy yourself you know."

"We're getting a little off topic now... do you wanna play?" He gestured to another controller.

"Sure sure, long as you don't mind receiving a beat-down from your evil babysitter." Again the sly smile, this time when he looked at her, _really_ looked at her, maybe it was that she had so many of the same interests as him, or maybe it was because he felt that he had finally, over the last few days, managed to chip away at Vicky's hard outer shell to the girl who hid in there, but now, at this moment, she was beautiful, her fiery red hair, the light dusting of freckles on her cheeks, and her pink eyes, likethe deepest pink sapphires (he saw them once on the internet) and he knew then, that there wasn't any other person he would rather spend his summer with.

"_Now I just need to figure out how to tell her..."_

* * *

A/N#2: Short chapter is short and I'm really congested, a few notes, first I want to include Frances in here at some point as an antagonist, not a major antagonist but still. Second does anyone know Vicky's birthday? I wanted to include a birthday chapter but I don't know her birthday. Finally I want to thank everyone who reads and reviews the story, hopefully I can get over this cold soon enough.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I'm going with Timmy being 14 for this and Vicky as 19, seeing as how I've put off saying their ages long enough. Also I'm probably going to put Vicky's birthday in the next few chapters seeing as how the Wikipedia was no help for when it actually is.

* * *

Vicky wasn't kidding, evidently she had more practice than he did at the game, ten rounds, nine losses. He figured she wouldn't be as good as she was, he had never really seen her play video games (except for _that_ time in his dream). After securing his only victory for the night, Timmy offered to go get some snacks for them, rising to his feet he spoke:

"Whatcha wanna eat?"

"I don't care, just get whatever... and hurry back! I'm not done schooling you yet!"

Timmy merely stared back, a slightly annoyed expression on his face.

"What? Are you telling me you don't enjoy having your ass handed to you on a silver platter? I'm having fun aren't you?"

"Fun is... such a strong word..." he said this on his way out the door.

Timmy wondered as he made his way to the kitchen how exactly Vicky had the same game as him. He had it because he wished for it, however it was not due out for a while longer, then again, Vicky had the money to have whatever she wanted, plus she was manipulative, it was likely she had friends (or victims) in high places to get her what her money couldn't. He was glad that she didn't flaunt her wealth like most would be expected to, Trixie and her group of friends had never been shy about their wealth, Vicky however never really showed it off. There was no question in his mind however, that she was well off, babysitting for all those years, the biggest contributors being Timmy's parents, they were like putty for Vicky, whatever she asked of them, they delivered. He absently wondered if his parents were exactly what Vicky would have needed growing up, sure they weren't very loving, but they seemed to like her quite a bit, at times almost treating her like the daughter they wished they'd had. That was why most of his wardrobe (and especially his hat) was pink, they had assumed Timmy would be a girl. Looking at the facts like this, it made sense, Vicky was the daughter his parents always wanted, and, though the realization hit him only very recently, Vicky was the big sister he never realized he wanted.

"_Though I think our relationship is a bit different than a brother/sister type thing..."_

Timmy went into the kitchen and decided on nachos, it was quick, easy, and something that most people liked, though Vicky was not necessarily most people. Returning to his room he found Vicky playing against the computer now.

"Well Twerp, I gotta say, you play better than the computer does."

"Thank... you?" he was unsure how to take that statement. "I got snacks by the way: hope you like nachos."

"Didn't you say you knew how to cook?"

"I _do _know how to cook. But knowing how to do something and enjoying doing something are two entirely different things. I can cook just fine, but I'm also lazy and don't particularly enjoy cooking."

"Fair enough. Now get over here and lets get back to it."

Walking over to the couch Timmy sat down and placed the plate of food between them.

"Soooo... not to reopen old wounds but... was there anyone in your life after Ricky?" Timmy had no idea why his brain brought up this line of questioning but he both wished he hadn't, yet out of morbid curiosity, wanted to know.

"No, not really, I tried it out with Winston Dunsworth but after he realized what mean person I was... or maybe it was the whole stealing from his family thing, who knows? But anyway, it didn't last long. There was also Mark Chang-"

"Oh yeah! The foreign exchange student from Europe!... It was Europe right?"

"It was Yugopatamia."

"Right! That was it! Yugo-" realization dawned on Timmy. "Wait, no it was Europe..."

"I know he's an alien."

"... Since when?"

"Since his disguise device thing malfunctioned on a date once. I thought it was a suit but... Well I'm not stupid, no costume in the world is that realistic."

"So what happened?"

"I stopped seeing him."

"Why? He seemed to genuinely care about you..."

"Maybe, but he was also an alien, a slimy alien, with _tentacles_, I may be mean and seem evil at times but I'm not a fetishist. Also he wanted to take me back to his home planet to dissuade some alien princess from marrying him, and, should that plan have worked, destroy the Earth, destroy _you_... something about the Earth and its inhabitants being the greatest threat to his people or something."

There was only stunned silence from Timmy, he knew Mark was weird, but destroy the Earth?

"Sorry to hear that... seems you don't have very good luck in the whole love department huh?"

"Eh, I'm still young, that bad luck could always change right?" she looked to Timmy with a smile on her face now.

"Yeah, I don't see why not."

"Your turn to share Twerp."

"Can't you just call me Timmy? I don't call you any names..."

"I could."

"But you aren't goi-"

"Nope. The reason you don't call me names is you don't have any that you can call me. Calling me Vicky suits you just fine, suits me as well. Besides, you know I don't mean it in a mean way... It's more of a... term of affection... yeah..." Both of their faces were turning pink now. "... Now then, share."

"Well... the only girl I've really liked was-"

"Trixie Tang."

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"Timmy you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who didn't know. You pined after that girl for years."

"As you apparently know it was more like fruitlessly pined after... I'm better off though, I'd say, she was nuts.

"How do you know, she always seemed pretty normal, if a little haughty, to me?"

"Lets just say I found out what happens when she doesn't get a monumental amount of attention on a daily basis. It's pretty bad. Take it from me, she is nuts."

"Which is why you finally gave up on her."

"Yeah and just think, it only took how many years for me to realize I was wasting my time?"

"Well at least she didn't start a relationship with you and then steal from you or kill you right?"

"Small consolation."

"I know Tootie liked you..." it was when the words left her lips that Vicky remembered the conversation she had with Tootie, about how he wasn't worth her time.

"Yeah when Tootie finally gave up on me I was stunned, I expected that I would be chased by her for my whole life."

"_Maybe he won't remember what she said..."_

"I remember what she said the day she finally gave up: "Vicky was right about you"...Vicky what'd she mean by that?"

"_Well shit." _Vicky was really hoping it could have been forgotten.

"...I... may have told Tootie that you'll never love her and that she should give up on you... in hindsight that may have been a tad harsh..."

"Yeah I'd say so. I mean it may be true, I don't think I could see myself with her, all the years of chasing me, it just is too much. I mean I'm glad we're just friends now, but I can't really see us becoming more."

"You ever think maybe Trixie feels that way?"

"Wha- no... I mean I was trying to get her to notice me but I never followed her home or built a shrine to her or anything..."

"Perhaps, but Tootie only wanted you to notice her too, she just didn't take rejection as gracefully as you did with Trixie, but you were persistent, like Tootie, and you were shot down nearly every-time, like Tootie. Sounds to me like you two have a lot in common."

"It isn't like I ever meant to hurt her..."

"I didn't say you did, but sometimes our actions can have unintended consequences. And as you know from me, sometimes we hurt others unintentionally, to cover up our own pain, to keep everyone at arms length, or sometimes because we just don't like people."

"Hm... I guess you're right about that, but back to our original topic, I think that covers all the women in my life..."

"Almost."

"What you know of one that I don't?"

"Evidently, you forgot Veronica."

"Who?"

"Blonde, California girl accent, friend to Trixie Tang?"

"Not ringing any bells."

"I'm not really surprised, you were usually too busy going for Trixie to notice her, and even if you did notice her and decided to try and woo her, she likely would have just rebuffed you in public. She cares too much about how people think of her to show you how she feels in public but I know..."

"How exactly do you know?"

"I have eyes and ears everywhere Twerp, comes with the territory of being me. Anyway, yeah she likes you, though chances are she sees you less because you no longer go after Trixie. Unless she stalks you or something, I bet she has a shrine to you at her house."

"Are you sure Vicky? I never got that vibe from her."

Grabbing her phone Vicky scrolled through various applications until she found her notepad.

"Here's my favorite one I overheard her say: 'My love for him-' that's you." she pointed at Timmy. "'burns with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns.' Yep pretty sure."

"Do you just have a notepad with various quotes from people on your phone?"

"Hey I thought that was actually pretty sweet!"

"I'll be sure to use it next time I'm trying to woo someone."

"Well it's still probably in your best interest to watch out for her, she is pretty crazy."

"Yeah I've noticed that trend with the women in my life."

"You calling me crazy Twerp?"

"... Kinda."

"Watch yourself or I just may do something _crazy_..."

"I'm uh... gonna go grab a drink." Timmy was made somewhat uncomfortable by the way she said that last statement. "You want anything?"

"Pink lemonade... please." she wasn't quite used to asking nicely for things, least of all people Timmy.

"'Kay be right back."

He started once more for the kitchen, more and more she was having... _some_ effect on him, and almost always had the upper hand. She knew this and took full advantage of it to fluster him. Though he was happy that she didn't tease him like a bully, more like old friends, this would not have been the case with four-years-ago Vicky. She would have taken anything she could use on him and ran with it. Still, he wished he could have some time on top now and then. Arriving in the kitchen, he noticed that Vicky apparently_ really_ liked pink lemonade; there were three cases by the fridge and one in it. Grabbing one for her and, after consideration, one for himself he made the short journey back to his room where he would discover something to tease her with. Entering his (or was it their?) room he was hit with a welcome blast of cold air, he had only bothered to install an air conditioner in his room, it was, after all, the room they spent the most time in, and slept in, there wasn't much need to worry about the rest of the house. Strolling towards the couch, he passed the bed and noticed her suitcase, among the myriad weapons of destruction there was a pink fluffy leg sticking out, moving closer and grasping it, he pulled it out to reveal a pink stuffed bear.

"_Unexpected..."_

He grabbed it and placed it next to her on the couch, in a way to suggest it was holding the bottle of pink lemonade for her, she had not yet noticed, too absorbed in playing her game. There was a sly smile on Timmy's face now.

"Got your drink."

"Thanks."

She absently moved her hand toward the drink, trying (and succeeding to an extent) to play the game with one hand, however she reached back too far and her hand instead landed on the head of the teddy bear. She moved her hand a bit at first, not bothering to look, instead trying to 'see' with her hand before she froze, her character in the game being obliterated by laser fire. She looked now, first at the bear, then at Timmy.

"W-Where did you find this?"

"Sticking out of your suitcase."

"Oh... okay..."

"The great self proclaimed evil babysitter has a teddy bear, a pink teddy bear!"

"Fuck you."

"It's no big deal, I'm not gonna tell anyone, I think it's kinda cute."

"No seriously. Fuck you."

"C'mon lighten up, you're talking to a kid who wears a pink baseball cap and has a mostly pink wardrobe."

"Why is that anyway?"

"My parents really wanted a girl."

"Well that explains a lot."

"It does, now how about you tell me the deets on the bear?"

"...There isn't much to tell, I've had it since I was young, sometimes a stuffed animal is all you have to help you get through the tougher times... No one knows about it, no one was supposed to know about it. It shows that I'm weak, and I couldn't be weak, not in front of anyone, when you're weak people use it against you. But a stuffed animal doesn't judge you, doesn't hit you, and I suppose, doesn't love you either. Having this helped me through the worst of it, well so did being evil but this helped me when I was alone, when I was vulnerable."

"Well... I'm not the best when it comes to understanding peoples feelings but... If you ever want to talk about things or need someone to lean on... I wont judge you for it. We're friends and I'm here for you, anytime."

"Do you really think I'm cute?" the question surprised both of them.

"Y'know technically I said you having a pink stuffed teddy bear was cute..."

"There's a 'but' in there."

"But... yeah I do think you're cute, Vicky."

Again, silence. Then Vicky leaned closer... and pinched Timmy's cheek.

"Aww... That's so cute! You're crushing on your evil babysitter!"

Timmy's cheeks darkened to red, and Vicky released his cheek.

"Thank you though, really, for everything you said. Now lets get back to the game already!"

* * *

A/N#2: I actually have a notebook next to me filled with the scribblings of a madman (me) that I have been using to come up with ideas for the story. Just a fun fact.


	11. Chapter 11

"Whatever happened between you and Chip Skylark?" again they were on the topic of Vicky's past relationships, mostly in an effort by Timmy to procrastinate confronting the feelings he ha for Vicky.

"Well you know that I kinda... kidnapped him and held him against his will..."

"And shortly after he wrote that song 'Icky Vicky'."

"Yep."

"Y'know, most people don't know it's you the song is referring to. Only me, a few of my friends and Chip himself."

"And me."

"And you. It doesn't... bother you _that_ much does it?"

"I don't show that it bothers me, do I?"

"No, but... I don't know... I mean you liked his music, and you definitely liked him, at least before..."

"I still do like his music, some of it anyway... but I tried to make things... work between us, but back then I was still the Vicky that most people feared, I was still 'Icky Vicky' if you will. And he couldn't change that, only I could, and I didn't want to."

"So what happened?"

"We dated, for about a month, surprising if you consider the fact that his number one song was essentially about how much he despised me. But it wasn't meant to be, I guess. In the few days we have spent together like this, you have seen more of the real me than he did in a month of dating, that has to mean _something_ right?"

"Well of course it does, we've known each other for years now, practically lived together thanks to how often my parents called you over, and now we really _do_ live together, sharing the same room, technically the same bed!"

There was silence between them now, the game system and TV having been shut off before the conversation began, both of them having grown tired of it.

"I wanna ask you something Timmy."

"Go ahead..."

"How long has Frances been bullying you?"

"...Long enough."

"Did you know I used to babysit him?"

"No... why are we talking about this?"

"Because this'll be a learning experience for me."

"Alright, well no, I wasn't aware you used to babysit him."

"Well I did, and because of my treatment towards him, which was not unlike how I treated you and your friends, he is rather afraid of me."

"Okay..."

"And you remember that I told you he was in the supermarket when we were the other day, right?"

"Yeah..."

"And how I told you to be careful?"

"Uh-huh..."

"Well it was because I was worried about you."

"I kinda figured that..."

"But do you know why I was worried?"

"Well... at that particular moment I figured it was because if he beat me up, my parents would be mad at you for letting me get hurt..."

"Well you're right to some extent, but I was really, truly worried about you too. I'm sure you've noticed that he's gotten bigger and stronger with age."

"Vicky I don't really notice how the men in my life develop that much, prefer women."

"I'm serious here Twerp!" she snapped at him. "I've always known since I first met him that he wasn't right in the head, but it's worse than that now."

"How so?"

"You haven't noticed the posters going up about missing pets and even one about a missing kid?"

"Not really, besides pets go missing all the time, and even kids now and then, that doesn't mean it was Frances..."

"You haven't been paying much attention then, the pets and kid all went missing within a mile of Frances' house. You know anyone else who is crazy in that particular neighborhood?"

"Sure there's Crocker, apparently Veronica, and... oh yeah, you."

"Crocker doesn't live around here, he just likes to scope out your house looking for magical creatures. Next there's Veronica who, while crazy, has no reason to be making animals and a kid disappear. Finally, there's me, which _might_ fit but I actually like animals, I wouldn't ruin someone's life by taking theirs away. And I certainly don't kidnap children, celebrities maybe, children no."

"How do you know all this?"

"We already covered this Twerp, eyes and ears everywhere. One of the perks of being me, and in your case, being friends with me."

"Okay I'll admit that it is somewhat suspicious..."

"Alright fine, how about this, did you know Frances had a baby brother?"

"Um... yeah, he was born the year before last, his parents were really happy about it, from what I heard he was normal too, wasn't gray or weird looking at all. But he died unexpectedly from that sudden infant death syndrome or something..."

"Except that isn't what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"I may not have any definitive proof, at least not yet, and who knows, maybe I never will, but Frances had something to do with it."

"Based on what? A hunch?"

"I have eyes in the police department as well, what most people don't know is that they never found any body. His parents were investigated because of it. You hear about it now and then: parents decide they don't want the kid so they get rid of it somehow. The problem here is that they _did_ want the kid. There was never any evidence to suggest anyone in the family was responsible, and no one even thought to look at Frances. So they covered it up to avoid looking like they were incompetent, it was very well done in my opinion, but I _know_ he had something to do with it, and the missing pets and the missing kid."

"This is all becoming a bit much for me to take in Vicky..."

Vicky sat upright now and grabbed Timmy's shoulders.

"Just promise me you'll be careful. Please be careful. I've not yet lost anyone I truly cared about and I don't want to lose you, not ever and certainly not like what I fear might happen if he catches you alone. He may fear me now, but I don't know what'll happen if he realizes that he is stronger than me now, if he realizes he doesn't _have_ to fear me anymore."

"I-I promise."

"Good." Vicky released his shoulders now and stood up, walked over to her suitcase and began fishing through it. After a few minutes she produced a pair of black shorts, a longer green tank-top, and a towel. She then started for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To take a shower. I haven't gotten a chance to since I started living here."

"You haven't?"

"No, not with settling in and smashing my hip, it just kept slipping my mind."

"Huh. I only asked because... well... y'know, you don't... uh... stink."

"Uh... thanks? It isn't like I've done a lot of sweat inducing activities though, and it stays pretty cool in here. Have _you _even taken a shower recently?"

"Well no... why do I stink?"

"Nope. Trust me I would have told you if you did. Still, you probably should at some point tonight..."

Timmy felt courage surge through him for an instant:

"Is that an invitation?"

"Do you want it to be?" Vicky replied in a sultry voice.

Her response unexpected, the courage Timmy felt drained away in an instant and his face became a color that would rival the most vine ripened tomatoes.

"Nice try Twerp." she was happy that she could always one-up him in this department, she continued out the door and into the hall, closing his bedroom door behind her.

Timmy's brain had nearly completely shut down amid mental images of Vicky sans clothing. Several minutes later it rebooted enough for a response, though Vicky was long gone by now.

"Damn! Damn! Damn! She beat me again! Cosmo, Wanda! You around?"

His fairies appeared in front of him.

"Long time no see sport!"

"It's been like, a day. Where have you guys been anyway?"

"Oh we've been here... just hidden. Gotta be careful with your girlfriend being around all the time."

"Right I suppose that's- Hey she isn't my girlfriend!"

"Yet."

"Oh no, I see your game, you're trying to do that classic anime cliché where you say she's my girlfriend and then I vehemently deny it way too strongly, thereby proving what you assume to be true."

"So you're _not_ denying that she's your girlfriend?"

"I... plead the fifth."

"That's boring. You're boring. Did you need something sport? We were watching what is going on in other universes when you called."

"Anything interesting?"

"We're... not really supposed to tell you..." this from Wanda.

"Did you know there's a universe where Vicky becomes an all powerful dictator and destroys Dimmsdale, Timmy?" this from Cosmo.

"Cosmo shush! We're not supposed to tell!"

"Well I do _now_. But I need to make a wish. I wish Chip Skylark's song 'Icky Vicky' was his worst rated song."

"Why do that Timmy? He practically saved his career with that song, besides, I love it!" As Cosmo said this he poofed in an iPod playing the song far too loud.

"He may have saved his career with it, but it was at Vicky's expense, much like a lot of the fun I have had. It's time to right some of my wrongs and this is where I'm starting."

"Oh! See Cosmo? Timmy's growing up!" Wanda beamed at Cosmo but he was jamming out too hard to notice her. "Um... right then, the wish."

Upon granting the wish, Cosmo threw down the iPod.

"I suddenly hate this song for no reason!"

"Well it's a start..."

Timmy then heard the sound of the shower turn off.

"Alright, you guys better split for now. I'll let you know if I think of anything else."

"Okay we're gonna go watch alternate realities unravel! Have fun with your girlfriend." Wanda then stopped and thought for a second. "But not too much fun." they then both poofed away.

"...Hey-!"

Vicky entered the room.

"What?"

"Uh... Hey how was the shower?"

"Great, I really needed it." she wore her long green tank top now, covering her usually exposed midriff, and the black shorts reaching halfway down her thighs. "You got a laundry basket?" she asked him but received no reply, he was just staring at her. "You should take a picture it'll last longer. Laundry basket?"

"...Corner." he pointed toward the corner of the room, by the window.

"Ah! Thanks." she threw her laundry into the basket. "Now what's up? Clearly you have something on your mind? Spit it out, I wont bite... _hard_..."

"Y-your hair..."

"My hair...?" she realized that she hadn't bothered to put it into a ponytail like usual, it was down, reaching just below her shoulders. "What of it?"

"I've just never seen you wear it down before, that's all..."

"Well sure you have-"

"No, definitely not."

"Okay... well then, what do you think?"

What did he think? With her hair down like it was, slightly darkened from being damp, the fiery red color somewhat subdued, she was beautiful, but did he dare to tell her that? It would be fine, there would be no dire consequences, after all, she made it pretty clear in her conversation earlier when she told him to watch out for Frances that she cared about him, that she felt the same (or similar at least) as he did. She had positioned herself directly in front of him now, her eyes meeting his, though she had to look down slightly to do so, and he up. He was taller now at fourteen, but she still had a few inches on him, and while she was still slightly intimidating (especially in their current positions) he knew he would have to muster up his courage and answer.

"Y-You l-l-look _"stop stuttering, you don't have a stutter!" _beautiful V-Vicky." _"God you suck at this."_

He looked down now, erroneously finding the floorboards more interesting than the girl before him. He then felt her arms wrap around him and pull him into a light embrace, Timmy was stunned into silence, the last time he was this close to a girl was Tootie, and that hug was... unwanted to say the least, this one was not unwanted, just very unexpected. He was aware of a wet lock of her on his forehead as she leaned to whisper in his ear.

"Go take a shower, now I can smell you."

She released him now, and strode over to the bed before sitting down on it, her eyes half lidded and the sly smile adorning her face once again.

"...okay..." Timmy's brain had for the second time tonight shorted out, but while the last one was relatively quick, this one was more: 'your brain has left the building'. He grabbed a change of clothes, shorts and a shirt, and looked again to Vicky.

"I'm not going anywhere. Go."

Timmy exited his room, walked down the hall, entered the bathroom, and shut the door before rational thought returned and his heart started to pound in his chest. Piecing his brain back together he remembered why he entered the bathroom: shower. Turning on the water he noticed that it was barely even warm, turning the nozzle all the way merely caused it to become warm, he then was slightly happy he didn't join Vicky for a shower, evidently she took scalding hot showers. Only slightly happy though.

His shower finished, Timmy returned to his room to find it darkened, only the bedside lamp being on, though he could still see Vicky, sitting on the bottom bunk, evidently still patiently awaiting his return. Timmy threw his clothes into the laundry basket and began to climb the ladder to the second bunk when he felt Vicky grab his arm.

"Wha- What's up?"

"Not you..." she pushed him off and around the ladder and then pulled him onto the bed with her, making him lie down next to her.

"Vicky... what're you-"

She wrapped an arm around him and pulled him to her before resting her head on his. She could feel his still damp hair on her neck. She seemed to know what she was doing, Timmy however, was frozen, too afraid to do anything but let her lead. For a few seconds there was only the sound their breathing and there barely audible heartbeats, then Vicky released a contented sigh.

"This is nice..."

Timmy was inclined to agree and relaxed into her.

"Yeah..."

* * *

A/N:So this one is kinda dark, with whatever Frances is up to, but I think I may have slipped into slightly WAFF territory, if my understanding is correct. I'm almost fully recovered but my muse hasn't, still trying to placate her with sweets, slow going, anyway next chapter is going to be up Monday, the buses don't run on the fourth of July, lazy bastards...


	12. Chapter 12

Timmy awoke feeling cold, something that tended to happen if you fell asleep with the air conditioner running, but he remembered what had happened the night before. He and Vicky had slept together, well not like _that_ but had shared the same bed, so now he couldn't help but wonder: where had she gone? Upon sitting up in bed and rubbing the sleep from his eyes his question was answered, she was sitting at his computer desk looking at some web page.

"Morning."

"It's actually just after noon."

"Oh... I guess we slept in a little..."

"Yeah."

"Whatcha lookin' at?"

"A music ratings website."

"See anything interesting?" Timmy had a feeling he knew what this was about.

"Funny thing, when I woke up this morning I suddenly had the urge to look up that song we talked about."

"What song?" he knew what song.

"You know... _that_ song..."

"No... I don't think I do..." but this was fun.

"Icky Vicky."

"Oh right! _That_ song! How could I forget? Must have slipped my mind."

"Right. Anyway when I went to check, I saw that it has become Chip's worst song overnight."

"Well... that's good right?"

"Oh it's better than good, it's great! A bit of karmic justice for writing that song about me and dumping me, it's awesome!"

"I hope it doesn't affect his fame too much, I've heard that song practically saved his career..."

"Who cares? He can write other songs, hopefully next time they won't be about girls he doesn't like."

"Good point." While Timmy was still friends with Chip Skylark, he did note that after the success garnered by 'Icky Vicky', Chip had become somewhat... douchey. That song had really hurt her, even if she didn't completely show it, and he didn't like her being hurt, maybe a few years ago in retribution for what she did to him, but things were different now, especially after last night.

"So Vicky... Did you sleep well?"

"I think you know the answer. What about you?"

"...I did. Very well."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that."

Timmy stopped and thought now, he wanted to ask her something, but didn't know if he had the words, or courage to ask.

"So Vicky... what is... this?" he gestured back and forth between them.

"What is what?" she spoke in an innocent voice to annoy him, she knew exactly what he meant, but he toyed with her, and now it was time for payback.

"You know, _this_?" again he gestured between them.

"I'm still not entirely sure what you're talking about Timmy..."

"I'm entirely sure _you're _entirely sure what I'm talking about Vicky."

"Nope, no idea..." she couldn't hide the smile that now adorned her face.

"Us! This! You know, you and me! What is this between us? What are we to each other?" he didn't mean to yell but his emotions simply poured out.

"I think you know..."

"Yeah you do _think_ I know, but I don't, I've never been in this situation before, you know that! But you have! You've had relationships, not me... So are we... together?"

"I'd say so."

"Just-just like that?"

"Yep. _I _want this." she moved closer and pulled him into a hug and looked into his eyes. "Don't you?"

He did. He absolutely did, but his mind was still trying to catch up to the rest of him in this whirlwind in which he now found himself, he was in disbelief that luck had smiled on him in such a way, he spent so much time chasing after Trixie and it had all been for naught, now here he was with this girl who had tortured him for most of the time they had known each other, and now she meant more to him than anyone ever had.

Vicky wanted an answer though, and while she was much nicer and more agreeable than she had ever been, she was still Vicky, and he hadn't lived this long by telling her what she didn't want to hear, thankfully what she wanted to hear and what he actually felt were the same.

"I do... of course I do!"

"Good." she hugged him tighter and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Now get dressed, I'm in a good mood and we're going out."

"Where are we going?"

"Wherever I feel like of course."

Vicky released her hold on him and strode over to her suitcase to begin fishing through it for clothes, moving aside the many weapons she brought with her.

"What exactly are all those for?"

"What you don't carry weapons with you wherever you go?"

"Uh, no it's kind of illegal."

"Pfft, you and your laws... no one has ever stopped me before, and besides, you never know when you might need a weapon, especially with people like Francis and Crocker around."

"That's not the only reason you have them though, is it?"

"Alright so maybe I packed them as a habit, you know because I threatened you with them, and maybe this summer I thought they would be getting some use over here..."

"But not now... right?"

"Of course not! Now that I know of a much more fun and rewarding way to torture you, these things are just gonna collect dust. Now go get dressed, we have many things to see today."

Timmy went to his dresser and grabbed his usual attire from it, lucky(?) for him his parents bought multiples of the same outfit for him to wear. He turned just in time to see Vicky beginning to lift her green tank-top over her head.

"I'll- I'll just go change in the bathroom!" he quickly ran out of his bedroom and shut the door, hearing Vicky snickering behind it. He could feel the heat on his face, once again she got him all flustered with a simple action.

"Just something I'm gonna have to get used to..."

Several minutes later Timmy returned to his room, finding Vicky (thankfully) fully clothed. Once again she was wearing her usual attire though she opted to continue wearing the longer green tank-top.

"How's the hip?"

"Better, it's not sore anymore but it doesn't look great..."

"Mind if I have a look?"

"Haven't you seen enough today?" she was teasing again.

"Very funny, let me have a look."

Vicky lifted her shirt over where the bruise was, it was no longer purplish-red, it now took on a slightly brown color.

"Well it looks like it's healing all right, but it's still a big bruise... But hey, at least you don't have to worry about it happening again, right?" he was referring to their latest sleeping arrangement now.

"Well to be fair, there are other benefits to sleeping in the same bed..."

"So! Where are we headed?"

"I need to make a stop at the Wall 2 Wall mart, stop by my house, and wherever else I feel like, my little victim."

They made their way out of the house and got into Vicky's car. Timmy looked into the rear view mirror and noticed that Crocker's white van was once again parked across the street, likely watching his house for signs of magic.

"You know, he keeps watching like that and we could be in trouble..."

"Why do you say that?"

"Just because he's watching the house for magical anomalies doesn't mean he won't notice something else, something between say the house's only current resident and his evil babysitter?"

"Why should that matter?"

"Mostly because nineteen year old women don't usually have fourteen year old boyfriends."

"You said yourself that it wasn't something to be concerned over, you have the right friends in the right places, we don't need to act like we're together in public, and nobody will believe a psycho like him anyway."

"That may be, but it's still a headache I would rather not deal with, so either we find a way to keep him off the trail, or we are going to have to be even more careful when around the house, maybe not _in_ the house but _around_ like outside."

"Good thing neither one of us are big on public displays of affection..."

"Indeed."

Timmy didn't necessarily hate Crocker, he understood that in his desperation to remember what he once had, he had gone off the deep end, but it was somewhat understandable, Cosmo and Wanda were once Crocker's fairies, and he had accidentally caused Crocker to lose them and become the hunch-backed, ear-necked, epileptic psycho that he was. That being said, it was an accident, and wasn't an excuse for Crocker to try to enslave mankind and reveal the existence of fairies to the world or to constantly harass Timmy at every chance he got.

"Y'know Timmy, we could always get rid of him."

"I don't think killing Crocker is an effective way of solving the problem."

"Well not we as in me and you, but I know people who can make people disappear..."

"Once again, I really don't think killing him is an effective solution, he isn't hurting anybody, not really..."

"But how long until he does Timmy? You're his main target, I don't know what he sees in you but he will come after you one day. Just like Francis."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it then."

"If you say so..."

They continued on, driving in silence for fifteen minutes before arriving at the Dimmsdale Wall 2 Wall mart, then spent another minute driving across the vast parking lot before Vicky pulled into a handicapped parking space, just like before. Vicky grabbed a shopping cart and headed inside, Timmy close behind.

"Alright, here's the deal Twerp, I need to grab a few things and I don't need a tail, so go keep yourself busy while we're here, kay?" she certainly knew how to put on the tough uncaring act in public. "And..." she looked around before she spoke. "Stay out of trouble." she ruffled his hair now. With that she walked away and disappeared down one of the vast aisles.

Timmy didn't really like the idea of wandering around the store without Vicky, the regular supermarket was fine, this place however, was literally the size of a small moon, a person could get lost in here for weeks, even months if not careful. That wasn't what she was referring to though, she meant watch out for Francis.

Vicky wasn't terribly worried about Timmy, he knew now to watch out for Francis, and he wasn't the type to go looking for trouble (right?), so she could shop and steal at her leisure, the main reason she had come here was to try and get something to blackmail the CEO, it would be helpful to have a store the size of a small moon in her pocket, and she knew where to go to get what she needed. After making her way through what seemed like an endless number of aisles, she reached the manager's office and walked in, why a store this large with this many people coming and going through it wouldn't have security cameras she would never know, but she was glad for their lack of foresight today. She entered the manager's office and walked around the desk to find a safe, the door cracked open slightly.

"Typical... the security here is so lax that they just leave everything open without a second thought."

She briefly wondered if this was some kind of elaborate trap, then remembered that this was real life, nobody bothered with such things, and took what she needed.

"Let's see here... so the CEO is embezzling money and stealing what he likes from the store... how boring, now funding rebel armies in Tibecuador, that's interesting, that's bold, but this? Oh well... I'll have to look elsewhere for interesting things... still I can blackmail him with this."

Vicky left the office, satisfied with what she had found, and began to look for something she could steal, not for her for once, she wanted to get Timmy something, but she wasn't interested in paying any of the exorbitant prices that they charged in the store. Looking down the aisle that seemed to stretch into infinity, she saw Francis again, though this time he didn't see her. He was lumbering down the aisle, apparently looking for something, though what he wanted in the gardening aisle, she could only guess. This was odd, again he was in the same place as Timmy, even though they set off for here on a whim, it _could_ be coincidence, but then it also could mean that he was planning something.

"_Wait, planning? Him? No."_

Well perhaps not. And the chances of him and Timmy running into each other were astronomically small in this store, so it probably wasn't anything to worry about, still... she decided to call Timmy and let him know, just in case. The phone rang twice before he answered.

"Hello?"

"Francis is here in the store." she looked over to where he was and saw him grabbing a shovel and some rope. "And I'm pretty sure he's planning a murder..."

"Why?"

"Because he's a sociopath?"

"No I mean why do you think he's planning a murder?"

"He's buying shovel, rope, a handsaw, and ketchup... okay so technically I might sound paranoid here, but just watch yourself okay? Meet me by the entrance, I got what I came for."

"Alright I'll be there shortly, just need to find my way back through miles of store..."

"See you soon!" Vicky hung up and made her way back to the store entrance, she had abandoned her shopping cart, only having to carry the incriminating evidence, and waited by the door, she noticed a pink string tied to one door, and leading deep into the store. After a rather long and somewhat concerning wait, she saw Timmy approaching, collecting the pink string and wrapping it around his hand as he went.

"What's with the string?"

"What this? To help me find my way back."

"Why does it have eyes?" Timmy looked down at the string in response to her remark and noticed that it did indeed have eyes.

"Why? Doesn't your string have eyes?"

"I don't have any string to find my way back."

"Well then I guess you're not very prepared are you?"

Clearly this was getting them nowhere.

"Let's just go, we can talk about your magic string when there isn't a psycho gray child looking for you while wielding a shovel."

"_Phew, avoided that conversation."_

"So where are we off to now?"

"My house, I need to stop in and check on something."

"Uh... Tootie's not gonna be there right?"

"No they probably left to go on their trip by now, why?"

"Well part of me is still afraid to run into her because of all those years she spent chasing me, and part of me is worried how she'll take... y'know, the whole 'us' thing..."

"Why worry? She said herself she gave up on you, and besides, we're not telling anyone, at least not for a while."

"If you say so."

As they got back in Vicky's car she began to speak.

"I know I mentioned offing Crocker earlier today, but I was only joking, Francis on the other hand..."

"What?"

"Well, _if _he is following you and _if_ he does mean to do you, and by extension, me, harm... well I can't make any promises on what might happen to him, the world would be a better place without people like him..."

"...I know."

"Long as you know."

_Meanwhile..._

Francis was at the Dimmsdale Wall 2 Wall mart to buy... something. He couldn't remember what exactly, all that growing he had done did little for his brain, it remained small and under utilized. Francis could never be a leader, most knew this, few said it, he was still strong enough to deliver a painful beating to those he didn't like. Still he was nearly incapable of forming his own ideas, when he made his little baby brother disappear a few years back, it was not his idea, but rather a dream that had come to him while sleeping. That was why he was here, to buy a few things that he had remembered from his dream. A shovel, rope, a handsaw, ketchup... okay that was for him but still.

He remembered that he had seen Vicky a few days earlier, in the supermarket. The very thought of her chilled his bones, she was terrifying to him, and he was sure that she could merely think him out of existence if she wanted to. She made sure of the fear when she babysat him. Part of why she had done it was out of fear, she was afraid of this large gray child and knew that the best thing she could do was to make him fear her first. She succeeded in this regard thankfully and a fear was born in Francis of her that would never be conquered. If Vicky had known this she could have used him for all manner of tasks she deemed unworthy of herself, but she didn't know.

When he was in the supermarket he was actually looking for Timmy, but didn't find him, he only saw Vicky and was reminded of the fear. His dreams were drawing him towards Timmy for some purpose, possibly the same purpose that drew him towards taking the local pets and strays from the neighborhood and bringing them to his basement, to kill and string up toward some end to create a macabre sanctuary, but for what, he didn't know.

"Will there be anything else today sir?" the checkout lady queried.

"No thank you." he thought he was as deceptive as Vicky when talking to people. He wasn't. People tended not to trust a gray skinned child, or teenager now, who had a reputation for stealing and bullying, and was rumored to be causing the sudden disappearances of local pets and a child.

The missing child was, of course, dead, just another means to an end that Francis didn't understand. But his dreams told him to do it, so he did it. There was no remorse felt for what he had done, his mind too feeble to comprehend, and now as he returned home, his atrocities had an effect, one he likely didn't see coming. There was dark magic at work in his basement, which would have been noticed by his parents but they, like so many others, had left town for a vacation for the summer, not taking Francis because he was well, kind of an asshole to them, and they feared him.

Opening his front door, he didn't even bother to close it as he made a bee-line for the basement, dropping what he had bought at the store. Heading down he was met with what to most would have been a horrible smell, but he was quite desensitized to it now.

There was a cloud of purple-pink smoke now forming in the middle of the basement, Francis had no idea what was going on, apparently he had summoned something, but what?

Out of said cloud, much to Francis' horror, stepped a figure who could only be described as a male version of Vicky, Ricky to be exact.

"Ah God! What is that _smell_? Is it you or all these dead animals ya have strung up?" Ricky then looked at the body in the corner, then back to Francis, then gestured to it. "Or is it the dead kid?"

"Wait I remember you! You dated Vicky!" dust began to emanate from Francis' ears, his brain working harder than it had in years.

"Indeed I did. Stole quite a bit from her too and broke her heart, I'm proud to admit!"

"Wow, can I just say, it's an honor to meet you sir! I've been afraid of Vicky since we first met, but you! You were able to hurt her!"

"Yeah I do okay."

"Well what're you doing here?"

"Apparently the hate and malice I felt from being at the bottom of the ocean... What? Yeah I survived the sinking of a ship, carried out by people in her pocket. I'm not exactly human apparently. Anyway the hate I felt must have come to you in your dreams and by doing all... this." He gestured around the room. "You summoned me here, or transported me here, or whatever, from the boat. Now I can get some good old fashioned revengeance!"

"Well you're uh... welcome I guess?"

"I think you've earned yourself a reward my gray friend!" as he said this he put his arms on Francis' shoulders.

"What kind of reward?"

"Why, the best kind! A quick death!" saying this he moved his hands up to the sides of Francis' head and jerked his head and neck viciously to the right, causing Francis' eyes to bulge out of his head and his neck to snap like a dry twig. Francis' body then dropped to the floor, he was quite dead.

"Jeez what a freak! I probably did the world a favor by offing him! But wow it works just like in the movies or somethin'." he then peered around the basement again. "Well no sense in leaving any evidence." He pulled out a cigarette and a book of matches from his pocket and lit said cigarette before setting the matchbook itself ablaze and tossing it at the body in the corner. He then casually strode up the cellar stairs and out of the house and contemplated watching it burn before deciding against it, too risky. He began to walk down the street towards town and mused to himself:

"I'm coming for you Vicky, and you're little Twerp too."

* * *

A/N: I don't really know where this came from, well no, I do, someone in high school had this idea once and wrote it down for me telling me to use it if I ever decided to start writing, really as a joke more than anything else, I just expanded on it slightly. It feels out of place, to say the least, but whatever. Originally I wanted to make Francis a more believable antagonist but then decided I didn't like the character enough to bother. In short I used Francis as a means to an end in order to bring back Ricky. I suppose we all go a little crazy sometimes. That being said, this is still a romance fic so this little addition won't impact the story in a huge way.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I edited Chapter 12 a bit, for anyone who didn't read it again, Francis is dead thanks to his inadvertently summoning Ricky back from the almost dead, and obviously Ricky is back. Huh. That sounds redundant, oh well.

* * *

Timmy and Vicky were still on their way to Vicky's house when Timmy suddenly spoke:

"What ever happened to Ricky anyway?"

"This again? I told you, you don't want to know."

"Why? Was it gruesome?"

"Well... no, not really..."

"Then tell me, I want to know." he was worried about how she had done it, Ricky was made through Cosmo and Wanda's magic, he very likely wasn't human, so it was very likely that things that killed humans wouldn't have the same effect on him.

"...If I tell you then you have to promise me something."

"What?"

"I don't want you to ever bring it up again. I mean _ever_. I want no one to remember his name, I want his very existence to be forgotten. Understand?"

"Alright fine, I promise, I wont ever bring it up again... _if_ you tell me."

"Okay... so you know about how he stole from me and then went to be with Crocker's mother because she was rich. I heard he was tricked into it, but when I had someone check in on them a week later, he certainly wasn't complaining about all the money he had. With me so far?"

"Yeah..."

"Well I don't know if you know this about me, but I've been known to hold a grudge when someone has wronged me, and he most definitely wronged me."

"Yeah, I know all this."

"Right, well I wanted him gone, but for some reason while I wanted him gone I couldn't do it myself, I didn't know then, and I still don't now, but I knew or well _know_ someone who is very good at taking care of _problems_ shall we say. I told him about Ricky and he agreed to deal with it, at a discounted rate even!"

"So he dealt with him. How?"

"I'm getting to that. He contacted Ricky apparently and told him he and his lovely new bride had won some sweepstakes and had won a cruise across all the lovely little islands of the pacific. He also told him that Mrs. Crocker was waiting for him on the boat. It wasn't a huge boat, just large enough for a few vacationing families, but Mrs. Crocker was never on the boat, just Ricky and my guy that I contacted, posing as the captain, of course. When Ricky went below deck, I'm told that my guy knocked him out, tied him in all the heaviest chains he could, locked him in a closet, and blew a hole in the ship's hull, sinking it in shark infested waters, for good measure. That's what happened to people who truly wronged me back then. Or maybe not that specifically, but generally really bad things."

Timmy's face had gone pale from the thought, how many times had he slighted Vicky? He lost count, he could still very well end up dead if she ever found out.

"What? What's the look for Twerp? You think- Oh I see, no you don't have to worry, anything you did to me is in the past, and I'm much more mellow now. I can't very well go around killing everyone who wronged me in revenge, what do you think I am? Some kind of sociopath?"

"_You might not feel that way if you knew of all the things I did to you using magic in revenge for what you did to me..."_ Timmy thought to himself.

"So that's the story, he's gone, there is no way he could have survived that. Now please let's never speak of this or him ever again."

"Fair enough." Timmy hoped that was the end, he wasn't so sure it was, but Ricky's fate did sound pretty final, but at the same time, he had other nemeses who he thought were gone for good as well and it usually wasn't as final as he hoped.

"_I'll ask Cosmo and Wanda when we get back..." _what Timmy failed to realize was that the whole reason he couldn't wish Ricky away was because of true love originally, that was no longer an issue now.

"What're we getting at your house again?"

"We're not getting anything, I just need to check something on my computer, and to see if my parents and Tootie have left yet."

Again, there was silence, and again, it was broken by Timmy.

"Vicky, you ever think that maybe we can't escape our fate?"

"Where did that come from?"

"I dunno, just popped into my head."

"Well... I mean, I suppose so, but it all depends on outside factors, I think. I know how bad it was for you growing up with someone like me to babysit you, and I know that if you did hate me and didn't forgive me for what I did, you would be justified in feeling that way."

"But I don't hate you and I do forgive you."

"... I know, there's no way I can express how much it means to me to hear you say that. So I guess, it is possible to change a person's fate, but they can't do it alone." her voice cracked a bit as she said this, her eyes watering just the slightest before she wiped the tears away.

"So this thing between us... these feelings and emotions that changed your fate... is this... y'know, love?" the silence that followed the last word turned his cheeks crimson.

"I don't know to tell you the truth, Timmy. It could be... I've heard that love is one of the most powerful things in existence, it can raise and destroy empires, it can end wars, it can _start_ wars... and if what you're suggesting is true, and what we have between us is love, then it can even change fate."

"That was a nice speech and all, but you didn't really answer my question..."

"Yeah. Let's go with yeah, it's love."

"Alright then."

After several more minutes of confused silence they arrived at Vicky's house.

"You wanna come in?"

"Sure, I guess."

Timmy had only been to Vicky's house a handful of times, and during those times the visits had never lasted very long, it was where Vicky and Tootie lived after all. It was usually best to spend as little time as possible around one girl who enjoyed torturing him, and another who was constantly trying to seduce him and/or kidnap him.

"Well looks like my parents aren't here, and Tootie would have come down by now... Probably for the best, I only really care about Tootie and she's quite safe in their hands."

Vicky took out her phone now and called Tootie.

"Vicky! What's up? You haven't called in a few days. Everything all right?"

"Yeah Toots, everything's fine. Just calling to check in. You guys on the plane yet?"

"No, we're at the airport now."

"Why haven't you called? It would've been nice to know you guys were leaving..."

"I'm sorry! My phone died and I forgot to charge it. I only just recently plugged it in and got it charged. And mom and dad... well you know."

"Yeah, I know... well anyway have fun in Tibecuador."

"Wait! Do you wanna talk to mom and dad?"

"Not really... Ugh fine put them on."

Vicky heard Tootie say it was her on the phone.

"Vincent! How the hell are ya?"

"It's Vicky dad."

"Yeah, yeah, always such a kidder, so how's the whole job thing going? What was it you do again? Build missiles right?"

"I'm a babysitter. Which reminds me, I gotta go, you know what a _handful_ kids are."

"Oh you bet I do! Alright Vinnie, you take care now!"

"Yeah... mind putting Tootie back on?"

"Oh sure! Here ya go!"

"Vicky?"

"Just wanted to say bye Tootie, and stay safe." Timmy noticed a softness in her voice that wasn't there when she talked to most everyone else.

"Don't worry Vicky, I'll be fine! Try not to be too hard on Timmy, alright?" Vicky smirked at this comment.

"Okay I'll try not to ride him _too _hard... no promises though."

"Thanks Vicky."

"Yeah, yeah, bye Tootie."

"Bye Vicky."

Vicky hung up and stifled a giggle at what she said.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing -heehee- inside joke that's all."

"Right. How are your parents and Tootie?"

"My parents are the same as always, that is they think I'm someone named Vincent Valentine or something... and Tootie's fine, they're at the airport now, about to head off to Tibecuador."

"So what's so funny?"

"Oh I guess I can tell you... Tootie told me not to ride you too hard, you know, don't be too mean, lighten up on the chores."

"So why were you laughing- Oh... Oh! You're bad." his cheeks pinkened slightly.

"Aren't I though? C'mon I need to check something on my computer."

"Lead the way."

They made their way through Vicky's house and upstairs to her room, Vicky entered and flicked the light-switch, causing the far wall to flip and reveal an impressive array of weapons.

"So... tools of the trade?"

"Yeah, they don't get much use lately though, you're my last customer remaining and I have no reason to use them on you, since we're... you know."

"Well how unfortunate." Timmy deadpanned.

"Hey, it's not like that, I just didn't expect them to fall out of use so quickly."

"Vicky, I'm fucking with you."

"Oh... right." Vicky walked over to her computer and turned it on. She then produced a folder and stuck it in her desk drawer.

"What's that?"

"Just some evidence that incriminates the CEO of Wall 2 Wall mart."

"So that's what you were getting?"

"Well there were other things I wanted to grab, but when I saw Francis I figured it would be better for us to leave."

"Okay..."

"What? I need to make sure I have the means to take care of any problem I might have. I just need to send an email and... done! Now we can go."

"What was the email?"

"Just some... insurance."

Vicky and Timmy made their way back out of Vicky's room, Vicky flicking the switch and hiding the weapons before she left. They made their way downstairs and out of Vicky's house.

_Email..._

_I know it's short notice, but I need a favor. There might be trouble in the next few days, I'm not certain, but I have a feeling and I'm usually right when it comes to things like this. I'll make sure you're paid well, I think you know what this is about. -V_

"I'm tired, let's head back."

"It's only seven!"

"Where does the time go?"

"Ah, fine... I was hoping to go to the mall..."

"For what?"

"Uh not to get you a present?"

"Why would you get me something?" she was ignoring the fact that she had gone to Wall 2 Wall mart for that very reason.

"Isn't that what people in a relationship do sometimes? Get each other gifts?"

"Well yeah sometimes, but you don't have to get me anything..."

"Well I want to."

"Well that's nice of you, but I'm tired, let's go home tonight and we can head out again tomorrow. Not to mention we were in Wall 2 Wall mart for hours, did you not notice?"

It turns out they had been, they left the house in the morning, and when they left the store it was already pretty late.

"What're we going to do then? I'm not tired."

"I'm sure you'll think of something, Timmy. I just want to take a shower and go to bed..."

They drove on in silence until arriving back at the Turner household.

"Vicky is something wrong?"

"No why do you ask?"

"You've been acting kinda strange lately, well mostly just today, you shouldn't be afraid of Francis and the email, an insurance policy? What's going on?"

"I... don't know right now, it's just a feeling I have, kinda like the feeling you get before a storm hits... something just feels off..."

"Well whatever it is, you have me, I'm here for you, so if there's a problem just... tell me okay?"

"Yeah... thanks Timmy."

Vicky went into the house and made her way back up to their shared room, Timmy following close behind. Vicky began grabbing her clothes, a similar sleepwear outfit to one she wore the night before.

"'Kay I'm going to take my shower, last night's offer still stands...?"

"What offer- Oh... _that_ offer, heh, now that's the Vicky I prefer." he said this thinking she was joking again.

Vicky simply stood there, a sly smile on her face. Timmy's face again turned red.

"You uh, you go ahead Vicky, maybe I'll take you up on it once you've healed from your fall..." _"And once I get brave enough to accept..."_ Contrary to what most people might think for a fourteen year-old, Timmy wasn't too keen on the idea of rushing into sex, they hadn't been together for even a week, it could be bad to rush into something so serious so soon, and he obviously wasn't very experienced with the subject, he wasn't oblivious to her flirting or the suggestions she made though.

"Okay Twerp, standing offer, just saying..." in truth she was somewhat relieved he had turned her down, she wasn't particularly knowledgeable about sex either, she had never done it, and though she had not told this fact to Timmy, she did kind of suggest it when they talked about her past relationships, but they had never expressly talked about it. She was glad that he didn't mind her flirting, it was all in good fun, but she was afraid he might one day call her bluff.

"_At least I can take solace in the fact that neither one of us will know what the hell we're doing..."_

Timmy sat on the couch in his room and grabbed the controller for one of his many consoles, turning it on in the process. Vicky left the room and headed for the bathroom. Timmy waited until he heard the shower turned on until he called for Cosmo and Wanda.

"Cosmo, Wanda, you can come out!"

The two fairies appeared in front of their god child.

"So how are you two lovebirds doing?"

"Alright fine Wanda, you were right, we're together."

"Of course, it makes sense now, why the wishes failed I mean."

"Well now I need some information you guys..."

"What's up, sport?"

"I wish I knew what was really bothering Vicky, not the excuse she gave me."

His fairies raised their wands and thankfully they emitted that familiar glow and sound. Memories and thoughts that weren't his flooded his head, thoughts of Ricky and the pain he had caused Vicky, her anger at what he had done, the person she hired to deal with him, all of it. And now her thoughts that Timmy had caused, what if he did somehow survive? What if he came back somehow? She was afraid that he would hurt her, hurt Timmy, she was more afraid of Ricky than Francis even.

"Alright, that's enough for now..." he felt like he had invaded her privacy by doing this, but she likely wouldn't tell him no matter what, her way of protecting him. "Do you guys know if Ricky is still... alive? I mean, you guys made him with your magic, so...?"

"I'm afraid he is Timmy, we don't know where but he is, I heard what Vicky did to him but apparently the normal ways of snuffing out a life don't apply to him, though I suppose more gruesome and direct ways probably could..."

"So he could be nearby, or he could still be at the bottom of the ocean? And there's no way to know?"

"Afraid not sport..."

"Well that's a comforting thought..."

"Sorry sport... but how are things here, between you and Vicky? Are you... _behaving_?"

"Wanda, I know what you're suggesting, and besides wouldn't you know if something like that had happened?"

"We're not spying on you at all times Timmy, we know you and your girlfriend like your privacy..."

"No nothing has happened. Except Vicky getting hurt-"

"*gasp* You're an abusive boyfriend?!" she said this in a mocking tone.

"-when she fell off the bed." Timmy deadpanned.

"I know, I know, I'm just messing with you Timmy."

"Yeah a lot of people like to do that apparently..."

"Why don't you just wish her to be healed?" Cosmo chimed in.

"I wasn't... aware that I could wish physical wounds... better? I can though? You guys never told me that!"

"To be fair, you never asked sport."

"So all those times I got hurt or sick... I could've just wished myself better?"

"Yep."

"Awesome... Well then, I wish Vicky's hip was all healed!"

As his godparents raised their wands to grant the wish and there was that familiar glow emanating from them, Timmy's bedroom door suddenly opened and Vicky entered, not bothering to knock, she wore the black shorts again, and this time a midriff bearing green tank-top, he could see the rapidly healing bruise, she was toweling her hair dry and the towel had covered her eyes. Timmy hoped that he could tell his godparents to make themselves scarce before she finished, but unfortunately, luck would not smile on him tonight. She pulled the towel away and looked first at Timmy with a smile, then to the two creatures in the room with a look of he couldn't quite place, disbelief? Fear? Just surprise? Timmy looked to Vicky, then to his fairies, then back to Vicky, a look of fear and shock on his face, turning it white, he wondered for a few fleeting seconds if his hair had turned white as well, and made him look like a ghost.

As unbelievable as it was, Timmy found he could speak, though with some difficulty.

"Well... this is... uh-heh awkward... really, _really_ awkward."

* * *

A/N#2: Lucky number thirteen! Well my lucky number, not Timmy's.


	14. Chapter 14

"Well, it looks like Crocker was right. Or I assume he was right, about you having fairies I mean. Those two are fairies, right?" Vicky now had the towel draped over her shoulder, her expression relaxed to a casual smile, evidently she was no longer surprised by what she saw. "You, Mr. Turner, have a lot of explaining to do, I'd wager."

"Wha- But you-! And _them_-!" Timmy's brain was traveling a mile a minute, he took a few deep breaths to calm himself. "Okay, what exactly is going on?" he spoke to Wanda now.

"I uh... don't really know sport... No booming sound, no Jorgen appearing to take us away, no memory loss-"

"I can't remember anything!" Cosmo chimed in.

"That's not new dear... Everything seems fine, which is odd, every other time this has happened the fairies are taken away from their child and all parties' memories are erased, but..."

"But nothing's. Happening. Yeah, I know...Vicky you can see them right?"

"Oh yeah, I can definitely see them."

A look of relief washed over Timmy's features, his face returning to it's normal color. Vicky, meanwhile, stepped closer to Cosmo and Wanda, wanting to get a better look at them. She studied the both of them carefully, taking note of the wings, crowns, and magic wands.

"So you two... are Timmy's what? Fairy godparents or something?" there was a hint of amusement as she spoke, likely laughing at the ridiculousness of her statement.

"Yes, they are." Timmy spoke plainly.

"Oh... wow..." Vicky thought what she said was a joke, but was surprised to find out she hit the nail on the head. "So they... what? Grant any wish you ask them to?"

Timmy looked to Wanda, his eyes asking her if it was okay to reveal more information, Wanda simply nodded, Vicky already found out this much information about fairies and nothing had happened, so she figured they might as well keep going.

"Well... not quite any wish, there's a rulebook that tells them what types of wishes they can't grant, generally anything related to bending reality in irreversible ways, particularly selfish wishes, wishes that may affect... true... love... things like that."

"Why can't you just make any wish happen? Why does magic need rules?"

Wanda chimed in now. "If children could make any wish, it would be utter chaos! Da Rules was created to avoid things like that. You also can't make any wish that would alter Da Rules, unless you found a loophole of course."

Vicky stood in contemplation of what Wanda had said for a few moments before nodding her head. "I suppose I can see the reason behind that..." A look of realization came over Vicky's face. "Wait! We- We've met before!"

"Uh... what?" Timmy asked, confused.

"I can't remember how or where but we did! I know it!" Vicky tried her hardest to remember but couldn't, it was all too blurry, but she recognized the two fairies. "You're Cosmo and you're Wanda!" she pointed to Cosmo then Wanda.

"That's too good for a guess. Might as well just get this over with, Vicky we should all probably sit down for this, it's gonna be a long story..."

And so Timmy explained what happened, the whole story, how she was the reason he got fairies in the first place, how strange things would happen whenever they were around each other, (at least what Vicky could remember, there were times when Timmy had to fill in the blanks for her, like when he wished for her memories of the days activities to be forgotten), the times she was transformed into animals or inanimate objects, the time he wished that he was the babysitter and Vicky had been made so miserable that she was granted Timmy's fairies, all of it. A few times Cosmo and Wanda even filled in some information, though the whole time he told her, he would occasionally look over his shoulder, expecting to see Jorgen tear away everything he held dear, but it never came. It was nearly one in the morning when he figured he told her enough, she was looking very tired and drained from the outpouring of information.

"So all those times it was you? The reason those things happened? The reason I remember Cosmo and Wanda is because they were my fairies for a time?"

"Uh... yeah, I was pretty mean myself I suppose in doing all those things to you in revenge..."

"Suddenly it seems like we're not so different..."

"Vicky you gotta understand, I wanted to tell you, I did, but if I did I thought I would lose them forever, that's why I didn't..."

"Timmy you do love me right?"

"I do, you know that, that's what this is, between us, you said it yourself."

"And I love you. So all that has happened, the things you did to me, the things I did to you, it's in the past. Let's let it stay there." she pulled him over to her and into a warm embrace. "But I would suggest against doing anything else like that to me, because now I'll know..." she whispered into his ear.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"Good."

Timmy wanted to tell Vicky about Ricky as well, but he didn't want to stress her out anymore than he already had, there were several things he felt could wait until later to tell her, chief among them being the time she took over the world under a dictatorship, and when Crocker had done the same and kidnapped his fairies.

They were both beginning to drift off to sleep when Wanda spoke again.

"Well if there's nothing else, I think we should all try and get some rest..."

Cosmo and Wanda poofed back into their fishbowl and Vicky yawned loudly before speaking.

"C'mon let's go to bed Timmy." Vicky stood and shuffled over to the bed, carefully ducking under the top bunk before collapsing onto the mattress. Timmy stood a few seconds later, intending to follow her when he heard sirens from outside, he walked over to the window and looked out to see fire trucks and an ambulance speed by his house, several streets away he could see an orange glow peeking over some distant houses.

"Whoever they are, I hope they're okay..."

"Timmy, come to bed..." her voice was somewhat muffled by the pillow she had buried her face in.

"I'm coming, I'm coming, keep your shirt on... unless?" apparently his fatigue was dulling his senses, usually Vicky was the flirty one.

"Mmph... sleep..."

He climbed into bed and laid down next to her, once he got comfortable she pulled herself over to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind, it was cold in the room, was she hugging him for warmth as well as affection? he wondered.

"Hey Vicky, this remind you of anything...?" he received no response, she had already drifted off to sleep and, after a few minutes, so did he.

_Meanwhile in the fishbowl..._

Wanda wondered what exactly was going on, first they had been discovered and nothing happened, and then Vicky's memory was beginning to return, memories that Timmy had wished away. Since when could people remember things that were forgotten with magic?

"Pudding!" shouted Cosmo suddenly, apparently his sparks of brilliance were very few and far between.

"Not helping dear..."

Still, she wasn't displeased with how things were going, Timmy seemed happier than he had ever been, not an exuberant kind of happy, a quiet kind that was always much harder to achieve. It amazed her that two people who not long ago would have called each other enemies, were now in love, but, stranger things had happened, she supposed. Watching them now, they were somewhat cute, certainly an odd couple, but as she had said before, love was blind.

Timmy awoke the next morning, aware of a numb feeling in his right arm, he realized before he even opened his eyes that it was likely because Vicky was lying on his arm, when he did open his eyes he saw the green of Vicky's shirt in front of him and glancing up slightly, he saw the creamy color of her skin, and realized that he must have turned over in his sleep, and was now eye-level with her chest.

"Well, I could certainly get used to waking up like this..."

"You're a perv..." Vicky spoke, sleep still addling her speech.

Timmy hadn't noticed it until now, but Vicky looked quite attractive now, he supposed he hadn't noticed because they saw each other everyday, but she had certainly developed some curves to her figure, maybe he hadn't noticed because up until recently, he didn't see her in that light. He noticed now though, and realized Vicky was somewhat right, he was kind of a perv... oh well.

"You can't blame me for looking at a pretty girl, well I suppose you could if it was anyone but you, but you're mine and I'm yours. I'm not looking at anyone else."

"A wise decision. What time is it anyway?"

Timmy looked over at his alarm clock, which had fallen into disuse, nobody bothered to get up early anymore around the house. "It's... agh... only seven..."

In response Vicky pulled him closer to her so his face was practically buried in her chest. "Well I'm cold and it's too early, we're sleeping in." She then pulled the blankets up closer.

"No complaints from me." his voice was muffled due to his position.

Outside the house sat Crocker's familiar definitely-not-suspicious white van. It hadn't left the general neighborhood since summer started, and had no reason to Crocker didn't work as a summer school teacher, it interfered with his magical creature hunting. Unfortunately Crocker hadn't taken a shower lately either, that is, in about a week, he felt he was on the verge of a breakthrough in finding out about Timmy's fairies, he couldn't give up now!

"Hmm... interesting, I haven't seen his parents car in a few days now... perhaps they went away... perfect! He is defenseless!" It then dawned on him however that Timmy was now in the company of Vicky. "That demonic girl, she likely won't let me get near him because his parents want him to be kept safe... Perhaps I could pay her off... Yes! Of course! Everyone knows that girl likes money, I'll pay her to let me get near him and then I can prove the existence of his fairies!" saying fairies caused him to break out in an epileptic fit and smash his head into one of the monitors in his van.

"Urgh... need medication..." Crocker grabbed a bottle of anti seizure medication and swallowed a couple. Unfortunately Crocker's doctor didn't like him much and the anti seizure meds were actually placebos, which didn't activate the placebo effect, unfortunately for Crocker.

He fumbled around for his phone and upon finding it, called the number he had written down for Vicky's babysitting service, he had written it down in case he ever needed to use her, but had never attempted calling it. The phone rang a few times before an annoyed and tired sounding Vicky answered.

"I don't recognize your number so I assume you're calling about my babysitting service... Unfortunately I'm retired, so I'm afraid you'll have to call someone else to watch your kids..." she was about to hang up when he spoke up.

"I have an interesting business opportunity for you..."

"Is this Crocker?"

"What?! No! Just someone not suspicious with a business opportunity! Really."

"Cause it sounds like Crocker..."

"Just come outside please. There is money in it for you. I'm parked outside the house..."

"How do you know whose house I'm at? This doesn't sound suspicious at all..."

"Just come outside!" she heard a slamming sound from the other end of the line and then the line went dead.

"Oh I'll come out all right..."

"Vicky who was that?" Timmy had fallen back asleep but was awoken by Vicky's phone conversation.

"No one, I have to go out real quick. Stay here, I'll be right back." as she said this she pulled on her black jeans and grabbed a hatchet from her suitcase.

"Vicky..."

"What? I said I'll be right back."

"You also grabbed your hatchet... Just don't kill anyone, please?"

"After waking me up from a wonderful nap? It would be wrong not to kill them!"

Timmy just looked at her.

"Fine. I won't kill him, but no promises about seriously injuring."

"That's the best I'm gonna get isn't it?"

"'Fraid so." with that Vicky left the room and headed downstairs.

"Glad I'm not on her bad side anymore..."

Vicky opened the front door and headed straight for the white van, not even bothering to shut the door behind her, she was mad that someone had woken her up, but the fact that it was Crocker and she had time to think had only intensified her rage. The driver side door opened and Crocker stepped out, looking like he hadn't showered in weeks, his hair was sticking up in several directions, he looked like he was covered in flop sweat, and his neck ear was sagging slightly, a disgusting buildup of earwax in it.

"Ah you're here, good... I have an interesting opportunity for you, you'll be well paid of course..." Crocker failed to notice the anger emanating from Vicky, though he should have been tipped off by the hatchet resting on Vicky's shoulder.

"I'm listening, but you better talk fast, I'm very impatient and you just woke me up."

"Well I believe that the resident, Timmy Turner has fairy godparents." he did his best to contain the seizure and only slammed the back of his head into the van. "And I need you to allow me access to him so I can prove the existence of them."

"And I would get what in return for your access to my charge?"

"Well I told you, I would pay you very well..." he produced a large sweaty wad of money and extended his hand to Vicky.

Vicky contemplated his offer, in her own way, she wasn't going to allow Crocker anywhere near Timmy, but she did still like money... Vicky stepped forward and, when she was right in front of Crocker, suddenly swung the hatchet, missing him by millimeters as he jumped back and hopped into his van, starting it up. Vicky swung the hatchet at the front tire, shredding it with the hatchet's sharpened end, and then swung it at the driver's side window, shattering it instantly. By this point Crocker had started the vans engine and slammed on the accelerator, speeding away. Vicky looked down to see the wad of money and pocketed it, then took out her phone and called Crocker back.

"Hello?! Who is this?!"

"Why it's Vicky, from Vicky's babysitting service? I was just calling to say it's been a pleasure doing business with you. Have a nice day!" her voice was sickeningly sweet like when she spoke to kids' parents before she lowered it into a deadly serious tone. "I suggest you stay away from me and Timmy or else I promise you, I won't miss next time." she then hung up.

Crocker sat in his van, a warm feeling pooling in his seat and lap, it seemed he had wet himself out of sheer terror. "Grr... that damn girl... she must be a demon... I will prove the existence of his fairies!...After I go home and change... but first, I need to get _her_ out of the way..."

An idea then occurred to Crocker, and he grabbed his phone and called 911.

Vicky returned to the house, shutting the door and locking it, and returned upstairs to Timmy's (and hers) room. Timmy groggily looked over to her when she entered.

"Who was it?"

"Someone with a business proposal, I had to turn them down though." she returned the hatchet to her suitcase.

"And by turn them down, did you happen to kill them?"

"What? No, of course not! You asked me not to so I didn't! I didn't even get to harm him he drove away!"

"Who is _he_?" Timmy was afraid _he_ might be Ricky, but she was awfully calm if it was...

"It was... well... It was Crocker."

"Are you serious? He needs to take a hint... let me guess he is still looking for my fairies right?"

"Yeah he is, but I gave him more than a hint."

"Does he suspect anything?"

"I presume he suspects that I'm crazy after what I did to his van."

"Nothing else...? You may be safe to tell about my fairies, for some reason, but no one else can know okay? No one."

"I'm not telling anyone anything, far as I'm concerned, people can keep thinking that we're sworn enemies." as she said this, she took her black jeans back off, leaving her in her black shorts again, and climbed back into bed with Timmy. They were both on the verge of sleep again when there was a loud knock on the front door, though it was less knocking and more banging.

"God. Dammit."

"Who could it be now?" Timmy asked.

"I don't know but whoever they are they're dying very soon..." Vicky again got out of bed and put on her jeans, and then grabbed her hatchet again. "Stay."

"Vicky, I'm not a dog..."

"Stay." she then left the room and made her way downstairs, stomping all the way.

Upon reaching the door, she raised the ax in a position not unlike how a baseball player readies his bat, and opened the door, before waiting for confirmation on who was on the other side she swung the ax. She stopped her swing just before hitting the police officer standing on the front steps, he didn't even flinch.

"Oh! Hey Officer Wolfe! How've you been?"

"You know Vicky, you're real lucky it was me the department sent instead of well... anyone else."

"Wolfe, you know as well as I do that everyone else in the force is quite afraid of me. And _if_ they sent anyone else, they'd have an ax buried four inches into their skull."

"*sigh* Some things never change, I'm glad to see you haven't kid, this world's becoming a dangerous place."

Arlen Wolfe was the only officer in the force who wasn't afraid of Vicky, more than he could say for even the chief of police, and his lack of fear towards her caused her to regard him with a certain degree of respect. In truth he had vouched for her on more than one occasion after he read the police report filed by her mother many years ago, her father was abusive and her mother barely did anything to stop him. The report was filed after a particularly violent altercation and, even after that Vicky's mother still went back to Vick. It was a sad case, but what else could he do? He was only one officer, and not a vigilante, he couldn't go taking the law into his own hands. So instead he watched out for Vicky whenever he could, though it was rare that she needed his help, she may have had a habit for finding trouble, but she was even better at finding her way out of it, though few knew how she managed it.

"So officer, what can I do for you on this fine... I don't know what day it is." Vicky lowered her weapon and returned it to resting on her shoulder.

"Word is you've been attacking people, well person, with your ax there."

"Officer, this is a hatchet, and I haven't been attacking anyone!" Vicky put on her sweet persona, despite knowing it didn't work on Wolfe.

"Vicky, don't bullshit me. I know your temper and I saw Crocker's van on the way here."

"That could have been done by any ax wielding red head."

"Yet here you are, in the house Crocker was parked in front of, holding a hatchet... That doesn't seem suspicious."

"Do you even listen to yourself? What about the fact that Crocker has been stalking Timmy Turner by parking outside his house, kidnapping him, and generally making his life miserable? How come you don't go after him for being a kidnapper, or stalker, or pedophile?"

"Vicky, there's no evidence to suggest he is any of those things, and why do you even care? You used to tell me that you tortured Timmy yourself, made him miserable, you enjoyed it, why the sudden change?"

"I..." Vicky looked down at the ground.

"Look at me Vicky."

She looked him directly in the eyes, but said nothing.

He seemed to study her face for a few moments before his eyes widened ever so slightly, then returned to normal.

"Ah, so that's how it is. Well good for you! I'm happy for you kid, I really am."

"Yeah well shut it, I don't want people knowing..."

"You love him then?"

"...I do."

"And he loves you? He told you he loves you?"

"He did... I know he does."

"Well that's good then. I was worried you were too abrasive for love, this kid must be as crazy as you are..." there was a grin on his face now.

Vicky punched his shoulder- hard.

"Ah! All right, all right! No jokes!" he rubbed his shoulder slightly.

"So what now?"

"Well, nothing really, no one's going to file a report about this, certainly not me. And I'll ask someone to look into Crocker, see what's really going on, maybe he's behind the disappearances..."

"Have you looked at Francis? The gray kid?"

"Well..."

"What is it?"

"I really shouldn't tell you... confidentiality and all that..."

Vicky continued staring at him.

"Alright fine. We were looking at Francis, we thought he might be the one who was doing it, but... his house burned down last night. We don't know if it was an accident or arson but by the time the fire trucks got there, there was nothing left but charred remains."

"Wha- Seriously?! He's dead?!"

"Keep your voice down!" Wolfe looked around quickly before his eyes settled on Vicky again. "We don't know if he is or not, but there were a lot of bones in the basement, all were heavily charred, mostly animal bones, presumably the missing pets, but there were two larger skeletons, likely human, there as well."

"Do you know anything else?"

"Not yet... we have to check them against dental records... but judging by the size of the skeletons and the fact that only one boy is missing and Francis is unaccounted for... it seems likely."

"Shit... not too sound mean-" Wolfe just stared at Vicky. "Well alright I am mean, but good riddance if it was him."

"I can't disagree with ya there, girl. Just be careful, we don't know all the facts yet, but I have a feeling that this isn't over yet."

"Yeah, me too. Take care of yourself Wolfie..."

They hugged for just a moment, then separated and Wolfe was on his way.

She watched him leave, he was better than her father had ever been, and she supposed, that was the relationship they had, she knew he watched out for her when the department looked her way. Maybe that's why she wasn't worried about him knowing about her and Timmy.

Vicky looked around, surveying the neighborhood before returning inside, she really wanted her nap, but it was nine now, there wouldn't be much time to sleep in...

Timmy was in the kitchen sitting at the table, a bowl of cereal before him.

"Who was _that_?"

"Eh, just an old friend, not important. But there is some interesting information that he told me... It seems that our good friend Francis has met with an unfortunate accident, well his whole house has, and likely Francis too... Though he doesn't have anything concrete."

"Well that's unfortunate... Well not really."

"Yeah I felt about the same..."

"So this _friend_ of yours... Does he know anything else?"

"No, just that the basement was full of skeletons, mostly animal, two presumably human..."

There was a deadly silence that filled the room before Timmy spoke.

"Did you do it?"

"Of course not! How could you even-"

Timmy glared at Vicky.

"Fine, so it wouldn't be all that surprising if I did it, but I swear I didn't! You told me not to, so I didn't. Besides I couldn't have done it, I've been with you the entire time, and even when we weren't together, I wouldn't have had time to do it." Vicky was nearly frantic now.

"Calm down... I believe you... but who do you think could have done it?"

"I dunno, maybe he killed himself, maybe there was just a random fire in the house, maybe someone just didn't like Francis, who knows? But he is gone now, he won't be able to harm you, me, or anyone else..."

"Well I suppose it is for the best then... You still want to head out to the mall today?"

"Sure, I need to actually go get dressed though, I'm technically still in my sleeping clothes, and so are you."

"Go ahead then, I'll be up when I finish eating."

Vicky returned to their room and again placed her hatchet in her suitcase, and began taking out her clothes, her usual attire, she wasn't quite ready to change up her wardrobe yet, though she had different clothes for when she did. Timmy meanwhile was still downstairs and had requested Cosmo and Wanda to come out.

"Whatcha need sport?" I have a feeling I already know the answer but... I wish I knew when Vicky's birthday was." he had been paying attention these past few years and had learned what day he thought it was but wasn't entirely sure.

The wands sparked briefly and the knowledge was suddenly in his head.

"Tomorrow, June thirtieth, I thought so." it was why he wanted to go to the mall in reality, he wanted to pick something up for her birthday, but thankfully she didn't seem to suspect.

"Good thing you're heading to the mall, huh sport?"

"Yeah, I'd say so."

"Do you have enough money to get something?"

"I've been saving, no worries." he had been saving, though not for any particular reason, anything he wanted could be wished up.

He suddenly heard Vicky running down the steps, and almost told Cosmo and Wanda to hide before remembering she already knew about them. Vicky suddenly burst into the kitchen and lifted her shirt, Wanda covered Cosmo's eyes, though there was no need, she only lifted it enough to show her hip.

"Timmy! The bruise! It's gone!"

"Yeah, that's good right?"

"Well yeah, but what happened?"

"I wished your hip was healed..."

"Oh... thanks..."

"No problem, you can probably expect a lot of benefits like that now, considering we're together..." It kind of felt like an abuse of power, but technically wasn't selfish, he was healing someone elses wounds.

"So what can they do? How encompassing is this magic of theirs?"

"Well, I could explain it to you, or..." He hoped he wouldn't regret his next wish, and wondered if they could even grant it. "Cosmo, Wanda, I wish you could grant any wish that Vicky makes, just like me."

They hesitated for a moment, knowing what happened last time he made a wish like this, and then raised their wands. The wands glowed just like before, and there was a poofing sound.

"So it worked?" Vicky looked to Timmy, and he nodded in confirmation.

"Uh... alright, I... wish we were at the mall."

There was a poofing sound and they were suddenly in the parking lot of the Dimmsdale mall. Cosmo and Wanda had turned into pigeons but were still nearby.

"Where'd they go?"

"They need to keep hidden in public, so they usually become animals or inanimate objects. They're the pink and green pigeons right there." he pointed over to them.

"So those pink and green... things that I've seen you with... it was always them?"

"Yep."

"Couldn't they be more... inconspicuous?"

"What do you mean?"

"How many pink and green pigeons do you know of?"

"I see your point, but no one has ever noticed, so I don't think it matters. Also next time let me change my clothes before you do something like that..."

"Oh! Right. Sorry. I wish Timmy was changed into fresh clothes."

Timmy's clothes suddenly became neat and clean, his hair no longer disheveled from sleep.

"Yeah, uh, generally making wishes in public is a no-go. They're pretty good at being stealthy when making wishes in public, but it's just better not to take any unnecessary risks, y'know?"

"Right, sorry, wasn't thinking..."

"When we decide to leave, make sure that you wish in private, away from people."

"Okay, I'll remember."

They then separated, Vicky heading out to wander the mall, Timmy heading to whatever stores he thought might hold something Vicky liked. Cosmo and Wanda were following close behind.

"Wanda, go with Vicky."

"You sure Timmy?"

"Yeah, we kinda share you guys now, so you may as well go with her in case she needs anything, it'll be a... bonding experience for you two."

Wanda wasn't particularly worried at this point, Timmy trusted Vicky, and they seemed to genuinely cared for each other. She flew off in the direction Vicky had gone.

Vicky walked through the mall, a smile on her face and a skip in her step, she tried to suppress it, but failed, things were really looking up this summer, she had a boyfriend, her boyfriend had fairies, he had given her the right to use them, and she was turning twenty tomorrow, she hadn't told Timmy because she didn't want him to worry about getting her a present, they had only been together a few days, and she didn't want to spring it on him and have him feel bad for not getting her anything on such short notice. She was surprised when a pink pigeon suddenly landed on her shoulder.

"Wanda? What's up?"

"Timmy asked me to go with you, since Cosmo and I are both your godparents, he felt that one of us should be with the both of you."

"Okay... I'll have to thank him later, that's pretty thoughtful of him..."

"It's sweet how much he cares about you, he was getting somewhat introverted over the past few years, he was beginning to care less and less about helping others, but he made the wish for you to be healed without a second thought, and this wish now, he was hesitant because of what happened last time, but he still did it."

"I know, I've been doing my best to keep the problem people away from him myself..."

"Just don't rush into things, I know you two share a bed and haven't done anything like _that_ but..."

"Don't worry about it, I have no intentions of rushing into anything like that, I'm not gonna screw this up and I've screwed up a lot in my life."

"Thank you, Vicky."

Vicky continued walking, but the skip in her step was gone, her face distant.

"Vicky? You okay?"

"Timmy wished for Ricky, didn't he?"

"Ah yeah, he was hoping that you finding love would make you lighten up on him, he didn't expect the wish to backfire... though in hindsight that seems to happen a lot."

"Well he couldn't have seen it coming, we delighted in torturing him, and karma eventually paid its dues, to both of us."

"Well to be fair, you inflicted karmic retribution on Ricky..."

"I'm not a patient person... He's still out there isn't he?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I can feel it. Maybe because he is so similar to me, but I can... I don't know, sense it."

"Timmy's worried too Vicky, he asked about Ricky as well... yes he's still out there. Neither of us know where, or even how close, but he is around."

"So we could both be in danger, and not know when, or from where?"

"No guarantees, but it's possible, I won't lie."

"Great."

"But you shouldn't let it get you down, he could just as easily still be stuck in the boat."

"So conventional means of killing him don't work then?"

"Evidently not."

"So what do we do?"

"Well, we can hope he doesn't come back..."

"And if he does? Let's be honest, when he does?"

"Well you both have access to magic now, the possibilities aren't endless but... If he does show up... Well Cosmo and I are here for you and Timmy."

"Thanks."

"Are you... afraid of him?"

Vicky hesitated to answer, there were few things she truly feared, most people and things feared her, but there were some things that made her feel... uneasy. She had been afraid of Francis realizing he was stronger than her, but that problem seemed so far away now. Francis was likely gone, she didn't have anything to worry about in that regard. What really bothered her was that this new relationship with Timmy had garnered a new fear, she was afraid of losing Timmy, afraid that he would abandon her, like her parents had, in their own way, or worse of him getting hurt because of her, who's to say Ricky wouldn't go after Timmy to get to her? Then there was Crocker, he was getting desperate, and people do dangerous things in desperation.

Vicky shook the thoughts out of her head, her mood shifts were bothering her, happy, then worried, then sad, she was beginning to seem manic-depressive.

"No. I'm not afraid of him." she was lying to herself and to Wanda. She was afraid, but the prideful part of her being wouldn't allow weakness to be shown. "He's just me, a male me, but me, I know my weaknesses so I know his..."

"Then do you fear _you_?"

It was a valid question, if Vicky could look back at her life, from a view that was outside herself, she would likely fear the person she became, most people would.

"That's a strange question, do you know anyone who fears themselves?"

"Most people don't bother to look back on what they've done if it's bad or evil, when people have power, they use it, they _misuse_ it. Power corrupts everyone who doesn't use it responsibly, that's why Timmy hesitated on the wish, you have been corrupted by power in the past."

"Is this going to be a lecture?"

"No, neither of us have time for that. I'm just giving you some friendly advice."

"Hmph."

Vicky stumbled across a furniture store and made her way inside, not intending to buy anything, just to look around. Eventually she came across a section dedicated to massage chairs and sat down to test one out, and turned it on.

"Ooh...this is nice... maybe I'll buy one of these after all..."

"Vicky, I thought you wanted to browse around the mall..."

"I will, I just want to relax for a few..." there was already drowsiness in her voice. "Keep- keep an eye on things... I'm just... gonna rest my..." Vicky drifted to sleep before she could finish.

Wanda sighed in annoyance, a clerk was coming over to tell Vicky she couldn't sleep in the store before his co-worker caught him.

"Dude! You see that pigeon on her shoulder? That's a Crimson Death Pigeon! They're seriously protective of their masters!"

"It's pink..."

"It must be a juvenile! They're still dangerous though, just keep your distance!"

"Fine, whatever, it's a slow day anyway."

Wanda had been hoping they would tell Vicky to leave but it seemed that they were going to chicken out, so she merely settled herself on Vicky's shoulder and kept watch.


	15. Chapter 15

Timmy continued through the mall, looking for something Vicky might like, he had stopped at a few weapons and cutlery stores, though he surmised that Vicky likely already had one of everything from most of these places, and purchasing firearms was out of the question, they likely wouldn't sell them to him anyway. And besides, Vicky seemed to be an up close and personal type of person.

"Cosmo, do you have any ideas?"

"About what, Timmy?"

"What Vicky might want for her birthday?"

"It's Vicky's birthday?"

"Yeah, you and Wanda granted the wish to find out when it was, remember?"

"We did? Why would you want to get her anything anyway? You two only recently stopped being enemies..."

"Because we're... dating?"

"Who's dating?"

"Me and Vicky." Timmy deadpanned.

"You are?!"

"Yeah, we are, and now I'm having an argument with a pigeon!"

"Well Timmy, I don't know what she might like, Vicky isn't like most girls..."

"I know, that's why we've been shopping for things she likes... I just haven't seen anything that she would really like or doesn't already have, she steals most things she wants and extorts for everything else."

"Have you tried buying her something... out of the ordinary? You know, whatever ordinary is for Vicky..."

"Like what?"

"Does she like flowers?"

"Pretty sure you know she doesn't, and besides, I can do better than that!"

"Okay, what about jewelry?"

"I dunno, I've never seen her wear anything like that..."

"Then get her that, something nice, but with some symbolism maybe?"

"Is your being stupid just an act or...?"

"It just takes a while before the gears start turning, that's all."

"Fine then, jewelry it is. Where's the nearest store?"

"Right over there." Cosmo pointed his wing in the direction of an expensive looking store.

"Good thing I've been saving up..."

_Meanwhile..._

_Vicky wiped the blood from her swords on the body of a nearby bandit._

"_Y'know, you could at least try to keep up, Twerp."_

"_I'm trying my best here! You have the two swords, I have one, and a shield!"_

"_Then use two swords?"_

"_Someone around here has to keep themselves defended in case one of us falls. Correct me if I'm wrong but, you don't know any healing spells, do you?"_

"_I don't. The college said I was too reckless and requested I leave before I had time to learn any, I went to the inn to drink, and you came in, all happy because you had passed all the trials and graduated to 'Expert Wizard' or whatever."_

"_Yep and then you challenged me to a duel, telling me to- and I quote- "nut up or shut up" and so we dueled, and it was a draw, like in all the old stories, my sword at your neck, both of yours in a scissor position at mine."_

"_Yeah that's right... Why didn't we kill each other?"_

"_I told you then, how often in this short life do we meet an equal? It would be a shame to end each others lives there, so I offered we team up."_

"_And I knocked you out cold."_

"_That you did. Punched me hard enough to feel it through my steel helmet, but the next day when I awoke, there you were sitting on the inn's front steps, waiting for me. We began walking together and that's how it's been ever since... That was... a year ago now... give or take a few days."_

"_Yeah, you and me against the world, the gods must have one hell of a fucked up plan for us." there was an amused tone in her voice._

"_You ever think maybe the College kicked you out for that _other_ reason?"_

"_What reason? They said I was reckless."_

"_The archmage caught you drinking the blood of your fellow students."_

"_Well I never read any rules about how vampires couldn't come and learn like everyone else."_

"_There are no rules about Vampirism as long as you keep it quiet and don't drink the blood of your fellow students, that's assault!"_

"_You don't want to see me without having fed in a few days, trust me."_

"_I'm not worried, if you were going to kill me, you would have by now."_

"_Who said kill? I'd just be... ravenous, and I cant guarantee your safety around me then."_

"_If you won't drain me dry, then what?"_

"_Well vampires have the disease..."_

"_Sanguinare Vampiris."_

"_Yeah that, but whenever you fight one, you could be infected."_

"_Yep everyone knows that, if a vampire so much as scratches you, you'll turn into one blah, blah, blah..."_

"_Well what do you think happens if you're bitten and you survive?"_

"_I assume you skip the disease stage..."_

"_Yeah exactly, that's why you don't want to be around when I'm hungry... __Unless of course, your whole plan was to become a vampire? Pretty elaborate I must say."_

"_It never occurred to me that you were looking out for me all this time, that's sweet of you Victoria."_

"_I told you it's Vicky, and I'm not looking out for you!" Her face, what wasn't covered by visor, was turning a light shade of red._

_She wore that visor to shield her eyes, an invention of hers, she told him, that she had made after becoming a vampire, she called them 'sunglasses', he told her they would never catch on. The visor's usage was twofold, it kept the sun out of her now sensitive eyes, and it kept people from seeing what her eyes now looked like, windows to the abyss, with flames slowly swirling inward. The only time she removed the visor was at night, and only in his presence, no one elses. Even then, for the first six months they traveled together, she never took it off, even at night, she didn't think her eyes were nice to look at, most people only saw the predatory hunger in her eyes, nothing else. She figured Timmy would be the same, until one day he told her she could take it off, it was affecting her __combat__ prowess in __the dark. She growled at him but complied, and her fighting improved instantly. After that she felt somewhat more comfortable and would remove the visor around him._

_It was the night after he told her to take off her visor that he noticed her eyes when she took off the visor, where most people saw the eyes of a predator, Timmy saw beauty, her eyes emitted a soft, pink glow, and the way they looked didn't bother him in the slightest. He wanted to tell her, but before he could speak, she cut in first:"What are you looking at?" her voice had an edge to it. "Nothing!" he quickly responded._

"_Here, carry this." Vicky's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. __She was handing him various things looted from the bodies of the recently slain bandits, weapons, armor, jewels._

"_I can only carry so much, Vicky... we really don't need this stuff..."_

"_I like money."_

"_Then just take the jewels!"_

"_Argh... fine!" Vicky dropped all the loot in a large pile and began tossing out the lesser items, except the weapons, she used those to staple the corpses to the ground, a final insult towards those who attacked them. She then returned to the remaining items and pocketed them, mostly gold and jewels. "Happy?"_

"_That I don't have to carry all that stuff? Very."_

"_You're lucky you know healing magic, otherwise I might have to hurt you..."_

"You're _lucky I know how to heal vampires, most people don't."_

_Looking at her now he noticed that not all the blood she was covered in was that of their enemies, she had a few deep gashes in her side, a cut below her eye, and a single long gash going up her arm._

"_By the nine, you're a mess... come here." __he took off his helmet so he could concentrate and__ began healing her arm first. The wound quickly began to close itself under the gold light emitting from his hand._

"_Why bother? We both heal pretty quickly..."_

"_But you don't in the sun, and it's noon."_

_He continued healing her wounds until they were all healed, she looked at him with a pouty expression._

"_...Thanks..."_

"_Don't worry about it. If you used a shield, this wouldn't happen every time..."_

"_Good thing you're here then, huh?"_

"_Yeah, I guess so."_

_Timmy himself had come through the fight relatively unscathed, despite the fact that they both preferred lighter armor, Vicky fought recklessly, he was afraid that she cared little for herself._

"_You really should be more careful, what if I wasn't here? You don't heal in sunlight, and most people are all too eager to kill a vampire..."_

"_Goin' somewhere?"_

"_No, I just don't like to see you get hurt!" he hadn't meant to snap at her, but she was taking his concern for her as a joke._

"_Ha... Since when do you care...?"_

"_I _do _care! Why else would I be here?!"__he pulled off her visor and looked her in the eyes. Those eyes that seemed to stare through everyone else, looked directly into his. She saw what he felt in those eyes, and stared in disbelief at him._

"_You? Really? But why me? I'm not pretty, I'm not nice, and I'm a vampire... there are plenty of people who would be better for you..."_

"_I don't want other people, __I _need_ you..."_

"_Heh... you're an idiot..." she rested her forehead against his and they sat in silence like that for several minutes before she spoke._

"_Do you trust me?"_

"_...I do..."_

_Vicky suddenly moved Timmy's head to the side, exposing his neck and lunged forward, biting his neck and drawing blood, she drank deeply for a few seconds before releasing him. Timmy staggered backward a few steps and grabbed his neck, then healed the bite._

"_Damn it! Warn me when you're gonna do that!"_

"_Sorry, I was worried you would refuse the offer. Then, instincts kinda took over..."_

_Vicky watched as his skin paled slightly, then his eyes changed to become similar to hers, though they emitted the slightest blue glow._

"_There, you're like me now..."_

"_That was fast... Did the sun get brighter?"_

"_No, that's how it is now, it seems brighter because you're a vampire. You get used to it."_

"_So that's it then? Together forever?"_

"_Until the mountains are dust and the oceans dry up."_

"_Let's get moving then, I'm feeling... thirsty..."_

Vicky's eyes suddenly flew open.

"Tamriel? Vampires? What now my dreams and video game playing are affecting each other? Wanda what time is it? Have I been out long?"

"A few hours... well several hours, I fell asleep too... It's nearly seven."

"We better get going then, Timmy will be worried most likely..."

Timmy meanwhile, was searching the mall for Vicky, he had spent a few hours looking through various stores for a gift for Vicky, and eventually found something for her, now he had spent a few more hours looking for Wanda and Vicky, and was getting somewhat worried. He felt a sudden pain in his neck and quickly brought his hand up to it, but found nothing. _"__Weird..."_

"What's wrong Timmy?"

"It's... It's nothing, just got a sudden pain in my neck, it's probably nerves or something..."

"Why don't you try calling her with your cellphone?"

This is what he meant, Cosmo always acts stupid, but comes up with ideas that he would never think of, though to be fair, this idea wasn't hard to think of, Timmy just hadn't thought of it.

"Right, good uh... good idea..." he took out his phone and dialed Vicky's number. The phone only rang once before Vicky answered.

"Timmy? What's up?"

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah, I suppose. Did you get whatever it was you wanted to get?"

"Yep! Did you?"

"I err... fell... asleep in a furniture store... in a massage chair."

"So I assume you didn't get anything..."

"Nope! I just woke up like, ten minutes ago."

"So you've been out for almost eight hours?!"

"Give or take."

"You're gonna be up all night!"

"I can think of a few ways to pass the time _and_ tire me out..." her voice had taken on a sultry tone.

Timmy blushed red, knowing exactly what was going through her mind. "And you call me a perv?"

"Women can't be perverts, Timmy."

"That sounds like a double standard. Just meet me in the parking lot, preferably somewhere away from people."

"'Kay, bye!" the sweet tone she usually reserved for his parents was back.

Timmy returned his phone back to his pocket and looked at the wrapped gift in the gift bag.

"You think she'll like it Cosmo?"

"Who will like what?"

And apparently Cosmo's intelligence had disappeared again.

"Nevermind. It's fine, I can't return it anyway..."

The store had a strict policy that said if you take off the price tag, you can't return it, and you had to take off the tag when it was a gift for someone, especially if it was a birthday gift, _especially_ if the receiver of the gift was Vicky. So there was no way to turn back now, besides, it's the thought that counts, right?

A few minutes later Vicky found Timmy waiting for her in the parking lot.

"Why did we have to meet out here again?"

"Because you wished us here, remember? We need to be inconspicuous with our wishing, and we're alone here so would you like to do the honors?"

"... I wish we were back at Timmy's house...?"

Cosmo and Wanda produced their wands and, after a moment, they were suddenly in the Turner's kitchen again.

"Oh wow..."

"What?"

"It's just... all of this... I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, y'know?"

"Yeah, I felt the same when I first met Cosmo and Wanda, you hear stories about magic as a kid, but to have it at your disposal, it's a whole other feeling..."

"And even harder to understand is your decision..."

"What do you mean?"

"C'mon Timmy, I was miserable as a kid, but I was never granted Fairy Godparents, and to be honest, I really don't deserve them..."

"Stop it. I don't know why you weren't given fairy godparents, but that doesn't mean that you weren't miserable, from what you told me, things were far worse when you were a kid than anything you ever did to me, except dressing me up in a maid outfit."

"That wasn't that-" Timmy had a grin on his face. "Oh yeah very funny, tell jokes while I sit here baring my heart to you..." the was a tone of mock hurt in her voice.

"The point is... It was my decision to make the wish for us to share Cosmo and Wanda, I love you and I know I won't regret the decision."

"I'm really lucky to have met you, Timmy."

"Yeah you are."

"Alright don't go getting a big head..."

"I feel the same Vicky, I really do."

They entered a tight embrace and were silent for a time before Vicky spoke up.

"So what's in the gift bag?"

"It's a surprise..."

"I told you, you don't have to get me something for being your girlfriend!"

"What about your birthday?"

"What about it...?"

"I know it's tomorrow."

"How do you know? I'm pretty sure I never told you, in fact I'm positive I didn't."

"I pay attention to subtle things, more than people realize."

"So... Can I open it now?"

"Not until tomorrow..."

"Did you get a cake?"

Opening the fridge, Timmy looked in, he knew he hadn't, but he had a remedy for this situation.

"I sure _wish_ I bought a cake for Vicky's birthday..."

A large cake reading 'Happy Birthday Vicky' suddenly poofed into the fridge.

"Well, would you look at that, I did buy you a cake!"

He noticed Vicky motioning towards the gift bag on the table.

"Hey! No, not until tomorrow!"

"Grr... You're no fun!"

"I'm plenty of fun, but I also follow tradition to some extent, and you have to wait until tomorrow!"

"I wouldn't do this to you... In fact, I know _exactly_ what you're getting for your birthday..."

"You're a little late, Vicky, my birthday was in March..."

Vicky stopped and had a contemplative look on her face. "I know exactly what you're getting for Christmas..." she winked when she said this.

"I know what that wink insinuates... if I'm a perv, you're a flirt."

"I can live with that."

"There's actually another way I learned to tell when your birthday is coming."

"What's that?"

There was suddenly a rumble of distant thunder.

"That."


	16. Chapter 16

Timmy awoke at seven A.M. the next day, he wanted to make sure everything was ready for Vicky's birthday, Vicky, on the other hand, hadn't even stirred when he wriggled out of her grasp, she had stayed up until three in the morning playing video games and watching TV, even after Timmy went to bed at eleven. He made his way downstairs and looked outside, it was now raining, hard, there was a particularly violent storm raging outside, a side effect of the day being Vicky's birthday. He turned on the weather channel to see what they had to say.

"Once again on June thirtieth, a freak storm has quite literally come out of nowhere and drenched the city of Dimmsdale, this strange phenomenon happens every year around the same time, but our experts can never track it, the day before registered as a beautiful sunny day, but the storm appeared at around midnight and will likely continue until eleven fifty nine tonight."

"Guess no one has made the connection yet..."

Timmy went into the kitchen and began preparing everything, the cake, some candles from his last birthday, and the gift, of course, nothing too extravagant, he was too lazy to clean things up, and Vicky likely wouldn't want anything to out of proportion.

"_At least, I hope so..."_

After about an hour, he felt everything was set up well enough, he had made breakfast for the two of them, bacon, eggs, toast, orange juice, well technically he didn't make the orange juice... but anyway standard big, nice breakfast. He ran upstairs to wake Vicky, only to find the bed empty.

"Vicky?" he called and received no reply. He checked the bathroom, no Vicky, then his closet, (which in hindsight was kind of a weird place to check) then downstairs again, still no Vicky. He then noticed a cool breeze coming from the direction of the back door and made his way towards it. It was open.

"Vicky?" he again called going outside, the storm had let up slightly, it was no longer as windy, but the rain was still coming down in sheets. Standing amid the falling water was Vicky on the deck that he had built by the pool, the one she had made him build a few summers before. "You know, this is a good way to get sick, standing out in the rain..."

"Nah, I'm fine. I don't get sick that easily. I've always liked the rain, I wish it rained more often, really."

"Okay... well breakfast is ready, so whenever you want to come in..."

"Wait!"

"Hm?"

"Come over here, stand with me for a little while."

"In the rain?"

"Yes. In the rain."

Timmy was sure that he and Vicky were likely to get sick, but it was her birthday...

"Okay..." he was already soaked, so it didn't matter very much if he stayed out longer now. He moved toward her and stood next to her, then felt her arm wrap around his shoulder and pulled him into her so they were leaning on each other. "Y'know, this is nice actually, but... shouldn't you have put more clothes on?" Vicky still wore her normal sleeping clothes: the tank top and shorts combo; but Timmy could see the goosebumps appearing on her exposed skin, and the fact that the rain was making her clothes stick to her... and the fact that Vicky didn't wear a bra to bed...

"You should admire the scenery, Timmy, it doesn't rain that often in summer, but my chest is still going to be here tomorrow."

"Wha- Oh! Uh... sorry, got... distracted." he blushed bright red.

"Let's head inside..." Vicky moved toward the back door. Timmy followed and then sneezed once.

"Wouldn't it be ironic if I got sick after telling you that you would from being in the rain?"

"It would be funny too."

"Me being sick is funny to you?"

"Oh lighten up, at least I'm here to take care of you if you _do_ get sick."

They ate breakfast in relative silence and, when finished, Timmy took care of the dishes.

"You want cake now or...?"

"After all that? No, I'm stuffed... it can wait..."

"Open your present then?"

"Nah, that can wait too."

"After all the fuss you made to open it last night, you don't want to now?"

"Nope. The day's turning out fine so far, I can be patient."

"What should we do then?"

"I can think of another birthday present that would be nice..."

"I know what you're referring to..." Timmy blushed slightly, he was getting used to her flirty comments.

"Relax, I'm kidding!... For now... I guess we could just stay in and watch movies..."

"Kinda boring don't ya think?"

"Maybe, but I'm perfectly content just spending time with you."

It still occasionally surprised Timmy that this was Vicky, there was never anything to indicate that she was like this when he was growing up, and now, after they had been together for only a few days, she was like a completely different person. Though he hoped that some parts of the old Vicky stuck around, her acting all sweet and nice all the time seemed... weird.

He put the cake back in the fridge and followed her into the living room, she still hadn't bothered to get dressed, her hair was still wet from the rain and it hadn't been put into her characteristic ponytail.

"Have I ever told you that I like your hair like that?"

"Not so directly, it was the night we started sleeping together, you said it was beautiful..." she had clasped her hands together over her heart and fluttered her eyelashes.

Timmy simply looked at her.

"So you like my hair down, I'll make a mental note of that."

The hours passed by in relative silence, a comment here about a movie, a giggle there during a funny scene, all very boring compared to the events that had been happening over the past few days. That is, until there was a series of knocks at the door.

"I'll get it." Timmy rose to his feet and walked to the front door, the rain had gotten worse since the last time he had looked. He opened the front door without thinking to look and see who it was and was met with a very strong kick to his chest, hard enough to instantly floor him.

"Oh, hey Twerp! What's up? Just came by to wish my favorite girl a happy birthday!" it was Ricky, of all the people it could have been, Ricky now stood in his front doorway, he looked a little worse for wear than the last time Timmy had seen him, his stubble was significantly thicker, there were some holes in his vest, and his jeans were torn at the knees, and, due to the rain, he was quite soaked.

"And everything was going so well..." Timmy said as he tried to get some air back into his lungs.

"So is my girl here or...?"

"She's not _your_ girl... now I suggest you get out of here before you regret it..." Timmy was wheezing slightly, apparently Ricky could deliver one hell of a kick.

"Well Twerp, I'll commend you for growing a spine but-"

Before he could finish, he was aware of a sharp pain in his jaw, accompanied by a cracking sound that could only be bone breaking. He stumbled back and fell down the front stairs into the lawn.

"Ooh... staring with the rough stuff right off the bat, eh?"

It was Vicky who had hit him, he hadn't even noticed her approach. She now rubbed he fist, a scowl on her face directed at Ricky.

"I hope you've written your name on a tombstone, because I have every intention of making sure that your death sticks this time." and just like that, old Vicky was back, the Vicky that made kids shiver with fear in the night, the Vicky whose very presence brought with it lightning, the Vicky that Timmy feared he was going to spend the summer with, only this time, she was protecting him. For a few fleeting seconds, Timmy felt sorry for Ricky, for 'waking the dragon' as it were.

"Whoa, baby, let's not be so hasty, you wouldn't kill a guy on his birthday... would ya?" as he said this, he held his jaw and pushed it back into place.

"You think that'll stop me? I don't know why you're still alive, but I will kill you, I've never been more adamant about anything in my life."

"Oof... That's harsh babe, I thought we had something special."

"I'm gonna give you one chance, _one. _Get out of here and never come back, it's far more than you deserve but it's my birthday, so I'm in a merciful mood."

"Fat chance, I'm leaving now, I only came here to wish you a happy birthday, but I _will_ be back, and you _will_ regret not ensuring I was dead." with that, Ricky stood up and turned to leave, heading out towards downtown Dimmsdale.

Vicky slammed the front door shut, shaking the whole house, she looked at Timmy, the scowl still on her face for a moment, before fading into a look of worry.

"Are you alright?" she walked over and helped him up.

"I'll live, hopefully..." he rubbed at his chest. "I really hope I don't have any busted ribs. Are you okay?"

"He didn't hit me..."

"I know, but are you really all right? He's back, and he's gunning for us..."

"What can we do? He isn't normal, I broke his jaw and he shrugged it off like it was nothing..."

"He may be magic born, but we have Cosmo and Wanda, and each other... though I wasn't much help right now..."

"You let me handle him-"

"No! I can help, I _will_ help! You are always looking out for me, I need to look out for you... You can't be _my _knight in shining armor, not all the time anyway, I need to be yours as well..."

Vicky sighed in exasperation. "I just don't want you getting hurt on my account..."

"I don't want _you_ getting hurt at all! And he is more than willing to hurt both of us, you because of what you did, and me to get to you." his voice was raised now, he wanted her to understand the gravity of the situation and how dedicated he was to Vicky. "Look..." he stopped to think for a moment and calm down. "If we're gonna get through this, we have to stick together."

"We are together..."

"I mean always, where I go you go, and vice-versa..."

"I've been inviting you to take showers with me..." there was a bemused tone to her voice.

"This is serious Vicky! He could kill us! We don't need to shower together or go to the bathroom together, but we should leave the house together and stick close to each other while we're out."

"I was just joking..." she almost sounded hurt by his snapping at her.

Timmy noticed a downcast expression on Vicky's face, realizing he may have overdone it.

"Vicky, look at me..." she looked up at him, she seemed to be on the verge of tears, her eyes were somewhat wet and puffy. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound cruel or yell at you, but..."

"I'm scared Timmy..."

"You? Scared?" Timmy asked with genuine disbelief. Few things scared Vicky, though it seemed that death was a very real fear, first during the avalanche, now with the reappearance of Ricky.

"Don't tell anyone."

"I won't." who would he tell anyway?

Wanda suddenly poofed beside them.

"I have some bad news, you two..."

"What's up?"

"Timmy wished for Ricky and we made him but..."

"But?"

"The only one who can truly get rid of him for good is Vicky, I'm sorry Timmy, but this is one situation where you'll have to sit on the sidelines..."

"What?! Why?!"

"Just the way it is sport, he is literally a male version of Vicky, born from magic of course. That's probably why the person Vicky had take care of him didn't succeed, it needs to be Vicky."

"Well shit." Vicky's voice cracked when she spoke. "So what do I need to do? Shoot him? Hit him with a car? A destined battle in the rain?"

"I don't know unfortunately, though I'd guess maybe the last one, sounds pretty epic... and cliché."

Vicky's phone suddenly rang ad she answered it.

"Happy birthday sis!"

"Oh! Tootie, thanks!" she put on a facade, she didn't want Tootie worrying on her vacation. "How's the vacation?"

"Oh it's alright... I wish you were here..."

"I had to take care of Timmy this summer, you know that."

"I know, how is Timmy?"

"He's fine."

"You're not being too hard on him, right?"

"No I'm not, I told you he's fine."

"Hmm... can I talk to him?"

"Sure." she handed her phone to Timmy, winking as she did.

Timmy nodded in understanding. "Hello?"

"Timmy? How are things?"

"Well enough, I suppose..."

"Vicky's not giving you a hard time is she?"

"No not especially... how are things with you?"

"It's nice here, my parents dote on me a little too much, but the resort is nice."

"Where are you anyway?"

"Oh! That's right! I never told you... we're in Tibecuador. I haven't seen your parents, but Tibecuador is pretty big, so it's not that surprising, well it's nice to know that you aren't miserable, I guess Vicky really has mellowed out."

"Yeah, I'd say she has." thoughts of the past weeks activities swam through his head.

"Can you put Vicky back on?"

"Sure." he handed the phone back to Vicky.

"How are mom and dad?"

"They're fine... you want to talk to them?"

"I'll pass this time, Toots. Thanks again for calling."

"Thanks for keeping your promise, I'll admit, I was worried for Timmy."

"Why on earth would you think that?" Vicky was using her sweet persona.

"That doesn't work on me, Vicky."

"Whatever, I told you I'd be nice, well as nice as I can handle."

"Alright Vicky, have a good birthday, well, what's left of it. I'll try harder to keep in touch..."

"Me too, love you Tootie."

"Love you too, Vicky." with that, she hung up.

"Since when do you throw that word around?"

"Well, only to Tootie, and you, of course."

"Hate to bring it up, but we have to figure out what to do about Ricky, the only advantage we have is that everyone we care about is, coincidentally, out of town."

"Small miracles, I suppose."

_Meanwhile..._

Ricky continued walking toward downtown Dimmsdale, when he noticed a familiar white van.

"Ah! I know that van!" he walked over to it and opened the back door, surprising Crocker who was looking through a set of binoculars at the Turner house.

"Who are you-" Crocker began yelling until he realized he recognized the boy who let himself into his van and sat down.

"Surely you recognize me, _son_."

"You're not my father, Ricky."

"Well not genetically speaking, but by law, I am."

"I thought you were dead, my mother searched for you for a while..."

"Yeah, well I took a cruise to the bottom of the ocean, no big deal."

"And you're still alive...? Tell me, you don't have... Fairy Godparents by any chance, do you?" again Crocker seized at the mention of fairies, smashing his knee into his keyboard.

"No, created by fairies and magic, I don't actually have fairies."

"I have to study you! Then I can prove the existence of fairies and people will stop thinking I'm insane!"

"It's too late for that, I'm afraid, and besides, you don't study shit until you help me get revenge on the twerp and Vicky. Then maybe,_ maybe_ you can have a look at what makes me tick."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I intend to kill them of course, they tried to kill me, and I'm gonna make damn sure that I succeed in killing them."

Crocker contemplated this. He wasn't sure if he wanted to kill anyone, especially a kid, Timmy was only fourteen, Vicky twenty, could he go through with this, just to the end of proving the existence of magic in the world?

"Alright, but what's to stop them from coming after us?"

"They won't, Vicky is afraid of me, and besides, I can't be stopped, after what Vicky tried a few years back, I'm sure of it. We have another thing going for us too: Vicky's afraid of me, Timmy's one line of defense is weakened, well other than the fairies." as he said this, he rubbed his jaw and felt a crack, wondering what it was, he reached into his mouth and felt around before pulling out a bloody tooth. He gazed at it for a few seconds before a look of fear crossed his face, then he quickly hid the look behind his sly smile again.

"Everything all right?"

"Yep, just haven't flossed in a while."

A thought appeared in the back of Ricky's mind, how did this happen? She had hurt him, he thought he was fine, it didn't even hurt when she punched him, but sitting in his hand was his tooth, covered in blood.

"_It's just because I haven't been taking care of my teeth, that's all..."_

Still, there was a definite spark of fear buried deep in Ricky's psyche now.


	17. Chapter 17

Vicky laid in bed with Timmy, she was scrolling absently through her list of contacts, she had been since she discovered that Ricky was back on the list, she didn't know when it had returned, but she hadn't deleted it, she was going to keep it for when she would call him, tell him where they would meet, and have an ending to things.

Timmy had wished himself to be healed, and thought about how great it would have been if Cosmo and Wanda had told him their magic could heal people years ago. Vicky was the one who suggested it, his wheezing was starting to worry her. They hadn't bothered to find out if anything was broken, though it certainly felt like that was the case. His head now laid on her chest, his arms wrapped around her waist.

"So his numbers back in your phone, huh?"

"Yeah, looks like fate wants me to take care of our mutual problem."

"_We'll _take care of it. I'm going to help, anyway I can. At least it's just him, not any of the enemies I've made over the years, they're all gone, Dark Laser, The Nega Chin, the Pixies... I could go on, but I think you get the point."

"Well that's one advantage, I guess..."

Vicky finally put her phone on the end table and just stared at the bottom of the upper bunk.

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing, I mean literally nothing. This week has just been... crazy."

"Well it hasn't been all bad, right?"

"No, of course not... it's just... crazy."

"Yeah, that's for sure... Have you decided what you are gonna do? I mean, how it will all go down?"

"No, not yet. Hopefully somewhere without too many people, what's isolated?"

"There are plenty of isolated places in Tibecuador... I've heard of a place called the ghost zone... never been there though, and it's not very secure, from what I've heard."

"You're not really helping..."

"I'm trying to... Maybe... Oh! I know! Jorgen can help!"

"Who?"

"Jorgen von Strangle. Most people and well... things in general are afraid of him."

"Aren't you two not on the best of terms?"

"Well no, but I'm sure he'll help... probably. I helped him with getting married to the tooth fairy, he owes me." 

Vicky just looked at Timmy, her face showing disbelief.

"Yes, there really is a tooth fairy, Easter bunny, Santa, all that."

"Y'know what? Just make the wish, my head's gonna explode from all these revelations..."

Timmy got out of bed, he didn't really want Jorgen, or anyone for that matter, seeing him being affectionate with Vicky, PDAs just weren't his thing. Vicky now laid on her stomach, her legs bent at the knees in the air.

"I wish Jorgen was here." Cosmo and Wanda hesitantly raised their wands and granted the wish. There was a large cloud of smoke, which was quickly dispelled by a massive wand.

"Why would you _ever_ wish for me to appear Turner?!"

Jorgen hadn't changed much, same green tank-top, same camo-pants, same steel toed army boots, same lack of wings, same angry demeanor.

"Well, I need your help, why else would I wish you here?"

Jorgen looked around the room and saw Vicky, who looked at him and waved nervously.

"Why did you wish me in front of _her_?! Now she knows of the existence of fairies!" he pointed his massive WMD of a wand at Vicky.

"Wait!" Timmy jumped in front of Jorgen's wand.

"Move child! You're only delaying the inevitable!"

"Vicky already knows! She and I are sharing Cosmo and Wanda!"

"What?" Jorgen lowered his wand and stared at Timmy. "On whose authority?"

"Well I figured it was your authority, being the most powerful fairy in Fairy World..."

"Err... Yes! Of course! My authority! I... was just testing you! That's it!" Jorgen hadn't authorized anything of that nature, it was more likely someone even higher up than him.

"_They never tell me anything anymore..."_

"Also..."

"Yes, what is it Turner? There is much that needs to be done, and not nearly enough eternity to do it in."

"Vicky and I are... together..."

"I can see that you're both in the same room together, what of it?"

"No I mean... like, romantically..."

Jorgen looked between the two humans in front of him before bursting into a fit of laughter which continued for several minutes before dying down.

"Oh, Turner, that was good! I haven't laughed like that in a long time! Everyone in existence knows you two are mortal enemies!"

"Well not anymore."

"I'm gonna need some proof..."

"Vicky, tell him."

Vicky finally found her voice. "It's um- It's true."

Jorgen looked at her now, a look on his face suggesting he still wasn't convinced.

"Look pal." Vicky's voice had an edge to it now. "If you're looking for a free show, I suggest you look elsewhere, I don't do public displays of affection."

"Turner, is there actually a reason you called me here or what?" Vicky's denial of proof had caused him to lose interest in that conversation.

"Yes, actually. I need your help, well, _we_ need your help."

"And why would I help you?"

"I've helped you... a few times... well at least once for sure."

"Hmph, I suppose so... What do you need?"

"Do you remember when I made the wish for Vicky to have a boyfriend?"

"Yes, I was actually told about that wish..."

"What?"

Jorgen had revealed too much. "Nothing! But yes, I remember."

"Well apparently he is going to try to kill us."

"Why?"

Timmy recounted the story to Jorgen about Ricky, what he had done to Vicky, and what she had done to him.

"This sounds like karmic justice, Turner..."

"No it isn't! I'm the victim here! So is Vicky! I wished you here so you could help us!"

"Fine. Against my better judgment, I'll help you, but once I do, we're square, understand?"

"Yeah, sure. It's not like I enjoy our interactions, you're kind of a dick."

"You'd better just tell me what you need, when you ask someone for help, you generally don't insult them as well. Now, what do you need me to do?"

"I... uh, don't actually know. What can you do? Wanda said that Vicky needed to stop Ricky herself..."

"Wait! You called him here and you don't even know what to ask him?!" Vicky spoke up.

"Your _girlfriend_ makes a good point, Turner..."

"You're the most powerful fairy in existence! Surely you can do something?!"

"She already knows multiple combat disciplines, she has access to a broad spectrum of weapons, and she's obviously going to hold on to her life with everything she has, she'd be quite a catch for some lucky man." Jorgen rubbed his chin in contemplation.

"Hey, back off. She's mine."

"I'm still here you know..."

"My point is Turner... she really doesn't need my help, she needs someone to support her, believe in her."

"That's why I'm here!" he turned to Vicky. "I do believe in you. But if we fear him, he wins..." Timmy stared at Vicky and she stared back, an unsure expression on her face. "That's why I called on you, the support of someone like you could certainly help... You can't take care of the problem? I just don't want Vicky to get hurt..."

"Then you shouldn't have made the wish, Turner... You can't un-wish this wish. I could end him, certainly, but you need to learn about the consequences of your actions, both of you. That's why I won't do it. However... I'll... make some calls, Turner, when he is weakened enough, call on me again, I know how to make sure he doesn't come back."

"That's the best we're gonna get?"

"It is. And it's more than you deserve for being such a pain in my ass." Jorgen had a grin on his face now.

"Thanks, Jorgen... you're still a dick though."

"Hmph." with that, Jorgen poofed himself away.

"Well... that could have gone... worse."

_At the Dimmsdale Police Station..._

Officer Arlen Wolfe sat at his desk in the station, looking over files brought to him by one of his fellow officers. There was certainly significant evidence to suggest that Denzel Crocker was up to something, but what?

"How did we not notice this?" he stood up and left the station, not bothering to clear things with the chief of police, the chief wasn't corrupt, not like several of Arlen's fellow officers, but Arlen wasn't patient enough to wait for the go ahead.

He got into his cruiser and headed in the direction of the Turner residence, Crocker was likely to be nearby. After several minutes of driving, he came upon the distinctive white van, a few houses down from the Turner's.

"This guy never gives up..."

He stepped out of the patrol car and strode over to the van's driver side window, knocking on it with his flashlight, and causing it to collapse into the van.

"Right, Vicky broke it..."

"What do you-" Crocker stopped cold when he saw it was a police officer at his window. "Er... hello officer, lovely night isn't it?" He was unsure why the officer was here, he had paid off several officers in the station to look the other way so he could shadow Timmy in peace.

"It's nice enough, Crocker. Step out of the car."

"Officer, is this really necessary?"

"Step. Out. Of. The. Car. I won't ask again."

Crocker got out of the van. "What's the problem, sir?"

"The problem is that you have a mountain of evidence against you suggesting your involvement in several disappearances."

"I've done nothing! Officer, this is a mistake!"

"There's no mistake, I checked everything, and I don't make mistakes."

"Damn it! This was the work of the fairies I tell you! I'm innocent!"

He couldn't believe what he was hearing, this guy really was nuts. "And I suppose chasing after the Turner kid and stalking him was to find fairies too?"

"Of course! Yes you understand! It was all to find the fairies! Maybe you can help me? We'd make a pretty good team."

"Oh sure! We could team up! Except... no. And now I have a confession. Put your hands behind your back, you're under arrest."

"I refuse! You tricked me! This isn't fair!"

"Have it your way..." Arlen produced a taser gun from his belt and fired it into Corcker's chest, causing him to drop to the ground in a spasm. He then released the trigger. "You wanna come quietly now?" _"Please say no..."_

"No! You haven't the right to-"

Arlen pulled the trigger again, sending electric shocks through Crocker's body.

"How about now?"

"N-never..."

"'Kay." again he pulled the trigger, Crocker's eyebrows were beginning to smolder. "Now then?"

"Why do you keep shocking me?! I haven't even attacked you?!"

"You're resisting arrest. Simple as that." he pulled the trigger once more, Crocker's eyebrows were completely burnt off now. "Also... sometimes being bad feels pretty damn good." He pulled the trigger again, only this time, nothing happened.

"Ha... Hahah... Out of battery power?" Crocker still had the audacity to laugh at him.

In response Arlen removed the battery and replaced it with a fresh one from his belt. This time when he pulled the trigger there was a massive jolt that briefly caused Crocker to turn into a glowing skeleton.

Have a change of heart yet?"

"After weighing my options, I think it would be prudent to allow you to escort me to the police station..."

"A wise decision." he electrocuted Crocker one last time, producing a muffled thunderclap, before cuffing him and throwing him into the back of the car. "Oh! You know what? I forgot to tell you what I'm taking you in for! Silly me! Let's see... Conspiracy to commit kidnapping, stalking, harassment, conspiracy to commit murder and... oh yeah, murder."

"What?! I haven't killed anyone!"

"You're father in law has never been found, that scumbag, Ricky? You're the prime suspect in his disappearance, so I'm going to assume you killed him."

"I was just talking to him a few minutes ago! He went out to use the bathroom!"

"You're hallucinating now too? Christ, you really are a basket case..." Arlen Wolfe continued driving back toward the Dimmsdale police station.

"_There you go girl, you better stay safe."_ he hoped that Crocker would be the last of Vicky's problems and she could finally be happy, he didn't notice the twenty year old hidden in the bushes near the van.

"Heh... Well that sucks, see ya later son! Don't go droppin' the soap now!" Ricky cared little for what happened to Crocker, he was just a means to an end. His being arrested was just a small wrinkle in the plan.

"I don't need him, nope, I can do this all myself..." Ricky rubbed his jaw again, it was sore, he reached into his mouth, feeling around where the lost tooth had been, and felt another loose tooth, which then broke off when he touched it. He pulled it out of his mouth and looked at it, it too was bloody, and Ricky felt that fear again.

"_Another one?! What the hell?!"_

_Back at the Turner house..._

"So your mind is made up? That's where you want to do this?" Timmy wasn't sure he liked the idea, Vicky had looked on the computer for somewhere close and isolated to deal with Ricky, she had chosen the Dimmsdale cave system, a vast underground length of tunnels under Dimmsdale, the main tourist attraction of which was a massive cavern below downtown Dimmsdale, the ceiling was so high it couldn't be seen.

"Yeah, it's nice and away from people, and no one goes down there since it was closed down after those disappearances."

"Maybe you could just send him down there and whatever got the tourists could get him?"

"No, I have to do it. Besides I want to be sure."

"So you aren't scared?"

"I am still scared, very much so... but Jorgen was right, I'm more afraid of dying, and even more than that of losing you, than I am of him, he won't give up on coming after us, so we have to deal with him, as long as we're together, we can do this."

"You want to call him then?"

"What? Today?"

"Well... yeah, the sooner we finish this, the better."

"I guess you're right..." Vicky took out her phone and looked at the time, it was near to midnight, still her birthday for about another hour. She went to her contacts and scrolled down to Ricky's name, she hesitated for nearly a minute before pressing the call button. The phone didn't even ring, he just answered.

"Hey babe! What's up? Listen, my son in law just got arrested, can you make this quick?"

"It's time, I think."

"Oh? So soon? I figured you would want more time to prepare? Got a deathwish babe?"

"Stop calling me that, and yes I'm ready, the way I see it, one of two things will happen and it's simple, either I die, or you do."

"Whatever bitch, where are we doing this?"

"The Dimmsdale Caverns."

"And where are those? I can't meet you if I don't know the place."

Vicky covered the phone with her hand. "I wish Ricky was in the Dimmsdale Caverns." Cosmo and Wanda raised their wands, which emitted weak sparks, and granted the wish. "There know where they are now?"

"Yeah, I do. This place will make a nice tomb for you." there was a large amount of static from the other end, but Vicky could make out what he said.

"We'll see." she was about to hang up when Ricky spoke up again.

"Don't keep me waiting long _babe_." and then he hung up.

"... You ready for this Timmy?"

"I don't think either of us has a choice about whether or not we're ready now..."

"Heh... yeah..." Vicky looked down at the floor now, the expression on her face showing the real her, the one she hid behind the facade of anger and hate.

"Maybe you should get dressed first..."

Vicky looked down and realized she still wore her pajamas. "Uh... right." Her face was now red, he hadn't seen her blush in quite a while.

She got dressed with Timmy still in the room, he looked at his computer to give her some privacy. When finished she told him it was safe to look. He turned around, half expecting it to be a trap to embarrass him from looking at her half clothed, but what he saw was Vicky fully clothed, more so than usual in fact, she wore her black jeans, and now a black hoodie, at her hip was the katana he saw in her suitcase, a second one strapped across her back. Her face held a melancholic expression.

"So a sword fight then?"

"Yep. I'm a sucker for these epic final battle situations, and you know I love to be up close and personal."

"Hmm... I have an idea. Why don't you wear armor under that? He won't expect it."

"Doesn't that seem... dishonest?"

Timmy simply deadpanned at Vicky.

"Right, sounds kinda funny coming from me... Fine do it."

"I wish Vicky had armor."

"What kind of armor?" Wanda spoke.

"Like armor for if you fought with a sword? That fits under her clothes."

Wanda granted the wish, and Vicky checked under her sleeve.

"Chainmail?"

"Well it's old school, but it's magic armor, it'll keep you safer than any set of chainmail from the real world."

"Thanks Wanda..."

"You're my godchild now too, I want to do my best to keep you safe."

"Shall we then?"

"Let's go..."

"I wish Vicky and I were in the Dimmsdale Caverns!"

They both blinked and when they opened their eyes, everything was dark.

"Vicky?"

"I'm here." Vicky spoke from his immediate left.

"I'm here too!" this was unmistakeably Ricky, coming from several yards in front of them.

"Great. I sure _wish_ there was some light down here!"

A large orb of light appeared high above them, illuminating the cavern, even then, Timmy couldn't see the ceiling. What he could see were stalactites hanging down from the abyss, some were made of rock, others seemed to be made of pure crystal, the same could be said of the stalagmites rising from the floor. The walls of the cavern weren't visible either, they almost seemed to be on another planet, it was hard to believe all this was just below their feet.

"Wow Vicky, you sure know how to pick 'em."

"I don't know Twerp, all she did was pick a pretty, and creepy, place to die."

"Ricky, no matter how this fight turns out, you aren't leaving this cave." he didn't know where that bold statement had come from, but he felt that he might have to ensure it was true, if Ricky did manage to... kill Vicky, then he would do what was necessary, whatever that might be.

Vicky stayed silent during this exchange, the look of melancholy never leaving her face. She noticed Ricky also had a katana at his hip, just the one though, not an extra like she had on her back. He also wore the same clothing he had when they met earlier, the same clothing he likely wore for the past few years.

"So you brought a sword too?" Vicky finally spoke.

"Yeah babe, I did. Guess great minds think alike."

"Do you know how to use it?" she was mocking him now.

"Let's see... I just hit you with the sharp and pointy ends, right?" he experimentally swung the sword a few times. "Yeah, I think I got this." He didn't actually have any training with weapons, just what he thought he did from movies and TV, Vicky didn't need to know that though.

Vicky on the other hand, _did_ have training, at least to some extent, with several weapons, just as Jorgen had said. She felt slightly better, knowing that Ricky likely wasn't going to be able to keep up.

Now they stood, in a cavern beneath the world, looking each other over, Vicky knew not to make the first move, she had her armor, after all.

"_Let him go first, make the first move..."_

"Should I say something? You want me to act as the referee? I could yell out 'Fight!' or something..."

The only response that came was dripping from far off in the caverns.

"Well? C'mon _babe_, let's do this!" he was trying to goad her into making a rash decision, but she didn't budge. He tried again, raising his arms at his sides to leave himself open. "Come on! You scared or something?"

Vicky drew her sword but didn't move, simply shifting it so it was held by both her hands.

"Grr... Fine! I'll come to you!" his voice echoed through the cavern as he walked towards Vicky, tossing the sword confidently between his hands.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: This one gets kinda dark and bloody, so y'know... just a heads up.

* * *

Upon getting within range, Ricky swung his sword at Vicky's left arm, just above the elbow, Vicky merely moved her arm, seemingly intending to block the strike with her forearm.

"Vicky!" Timmy yelled, obviously worried for her safety.

The sword collided with her arm, Ricky may not have been particularly skilled with a sword, but he was strong, the kick he delivered to Timmy's chest was indicative of that. However while Timmy expected her arm to be cut off, or at least have a deep gash in it, there was only a high ringing sound that echoed through the cave, Vicky's hoodie was cut cleanly, but the armor that Wanda had granted her was undamaged.

"Well look at that! The armor works! Though I might still have a few bruises when we're done here."

"You clever bitch! Armor?! Really?! That's hardly fair!"

"Well, I never said I'd fight fair..."

Vicky now wanted to test if Ricky could still heal, and tried the same move that Ricky had on her. Swinging it with considerable force, she sliced into his arm, deep, and blood shot out from the wound.

"Ooh... not bad... but not nearly good enough!"

The sword had stopped when Vicky hit bone, and Ricky took her brief pause to stab his sword in her direction, towards her neck. Vicky saw this and briefly wondered why the armor didn't protect her neck and head, before dodging the blow. She felt her neck, feeling some wetness, he had got her, just a scratch, but it bled more than she thought it would, head and neck wounds usually do.

"Well Ricky, I'm impressed, you got me!" Timmy noticed a strange gleefulness in Vicky's voice, was she enjoying this? Vicky now had a sadistic grin on her face.

"_She _is_ enjoying this!" _he thought to himself.

By now, Ricky's arm was covered in blood, the wound was closing itself, though very slowly. Vicky's continued bleeding however, she didn't have any magical abilities like Ricky. They were evenly matched, in some regard, Vicky with her skills, Ricky with his magic.

"Hey... Any chance we could get back together, babe? You know, old times sake? It would be a shame for me to have to kill you... Let's just kill the Twerp, and I'll forgive you! Whaddya say?" he sounded just the slightest bit desperate now.

Vicky's response was a slash to his face, Ricky pulled back, but was left with a horizontal cut across his nose.

"So... is that a 'no' then?" the cut began bleeding in response.

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline your... generous offer. Sorry." not since back when she had tortured him on a daily basis had Timmy seen the predatory grin that now adorned Vicky's face. It sent a nostalgic chill down his spine. He wondered if Ricky was feeling fear yet, his expression had changed from one of confidence to one that was unreadable.

"Glad I'm not fighting her..."

The fight continued for several more minutes, each side trading blows with the other. Vicky's clothes were becoming heavily ripped, but the chainmail held, she was only bleeding in places where the armor hadn't covered, she had a cut on her hand, one just below her right eye, and a second one on her neck, opposite side of the first.

Ricky on the other hand, was much more heavily wounded, the deep gash in his left arm was now much wider and deeper from repeated blows by Vicky, he now bore a cut on his cheek deep enough that from the right angle, one could see into his mouth, his teeth showing, a single large cut starting from the shin of his left leg to the upper thigh of his right, and a stab wound in his gut where Vicky had run him through, exiting near his spine.

The fatigue was evident on Vicky's face, she had delivered far more attacks than Ricky had, but she also blocked several of his attacks, and just didn't have the stamina that Ricky did, she was panting slightly now. Ricky wasn't however, despite the large amount of blood loss, he didn't seem to be slowing down much at all.

"Well babe... this has been fun. But how about we finish this, so I can move on to the Twerp?" they approached each other and readied their swords, then swung at each other, the swords colliding with a sound that almost seemed to shake the cavern with its echoes. Both swords emitted sparks as they clashed against each other.

"C'mon babe... you're tired, I'm tired, let's just let bygones be bygones, give up, I'll make it quick, your death I mean, not the Twerp's, he'll suffer..." there was a sadistic grin on his face as he spoke.

"No chance, either I die or you do... and I have no intention of dying here!" Vicky began pushing her sword harder than Ricky pushed his, and she forced him down on one knee, her smile becoming broader as she did.

"Well then _babe_, I guess it's you." Ricky suddenly reached into his vest and pulled out a sword that was around a foot and a half long, it didn't have a blade of any sort, it was, for all intents and purposes a giant needle with a sword handle, rather than an actual sword. While he held her back with his katana, he thrust the sword forward, she was right where he wanted her, she realized. The sword pierced her chest through her ribs, and continued through her left lung and out her back, he made sure it was buried in up to the hilt.

Time seemed to slow down for Vicky, she looked down in disbelief, her smile gone, at the sword in her chest and thought: _"Huh. This hurts... I wonder if this'll kill me..."_ She suddenly snapped out of her thoughts and grabbed the hilt of the sword, keeping Ricky from pulling it out. She then pushed his sword away from hers and knocked it out of his hand, then swung again and hit him in his arm gash, causing him to release his grip on the needle-sword in pain.

Ricky stumbled back a few feet, unable to find his sword which had been knocked into the darkness of the cavern. Vicky walked toward him now, the sword still in her chest.

"Hah... Hah... You got me dick... this sword was perfect for fighting someone with chainmail... nice job."

"Well babe what now? I'm defenseless, and you're mortally wounded, how about you let me go? I'll just leave, and you can stay here and bleed out!"

"No *cough* I don't think so..." Vicky was beginning to cough up blood now.

"Vicky! Come on! At least have Cosmo and Wanda heal you!" Timmy yelled.

"Not yet! Not... until... I finish this!" she pulled the sword out of her chest with some difficulty and strode over to Ricky, delivering a rib shattering kick to his chest, not unlike the one he gave to Timmy, and knocking him to the floor.

Ricky now lied on the floor of the cave, gasping for air and looking towards the ceiling, or rather the abyss covering the ceiling, before Vicky came into view, and crouched down next to him. She stared at him now with a look of indifference, no pity, no remorse, no anger even, just indifference.

"_Shit. So that's what that feels like..."_

"What? Nothing to say? Well then allow me..." he had a look of contemplation on his face before speaking again. "At least I'll die with a raging boner..."

Vicky looked down his body to see he was, in fact, telling the truth, there was a raised tent in his pants.

"Really? Those are your last words? What the fuck is wrong with you?" she then plunged his needle-sword into his heart with all her strength, ensuring it entered the ground beneath him, stapling him to the ground, and following it with her own sword, doing the same thing. She then walked into the darkness and out of sight.

"What? You're not gonna finish me?! Come back you _bitch_! Finish what you started!"

There was only silence for a time before Vicky's footsteps were heard again, she stepped out of the darkness holding Ricky's lost sword and repeated her previous action one last time.

"I'm not gonna die from this you know... This can only hold me for so long!"

"Well neither of us are going to finish you, just a waste of strength..." Vicky walked over to Timmy and sat down on the ground next to where he stood. "Get Jorgen down here..." Vicky coughed again and wiped the blood from her mouth.

"I wish Jorgen was here..."

Jorgen suddenly appeared and looked around. "Ooh, not bad Turner, this place would make a suitable tomb for my enemies!" He looked at Vicky, noticing her wounds. "You should get her healed Turner... she won't survive much longer with wounds like that..."

Timmy looked at Vicky, a pleading look on his face.

"Fine... do it."

"I wish Vicky's wounds were healed!"

The cuts and gashes quickly closed themselves, and the color began to return to her paled face. Timmy knelt down next to her and brushed the hair from her face. "You okay?"

"I'm tired, and sore, but yeah, I'm fine..." she was still covered in her own blood, but at least it wasn't pouring out of her anymore, her clothes were in tatters, but the chainmail held together.

Timmy wrapped his arms around Vicky, hugging her as tight as he could.

"Timmy, you're crushing... me." he didn't release her, though his grip slackened slightly. He was shaking a bit. "Are you okay?"

"I thought you were going to die there..." his voice was muffled as he spoke against her neck, she felt wetness on her neck.

"Are- are you crying?"

"Yeah, a little..."

"It's fine, I'm fine... everything's fine now..." she rubbed his head gently.

"Why didn't you let me make the wish to heal you?"

"I don't know... It felt like the thing to do after an epic showdown, y'know? Not taking a break until I was sure the fight was done..."

"...You're an idiot..."

"Yeah, maybe..."

Jorgen looked over at Timmy and Vicky now. "Hmph... maybe they do make a nice couple..." Then walked over to where Ricky lay bleeding.

"Oh noes! The big bad fairy is gonna hurt me! I is so scared! You gonna cast me out of existence with your faggy wand?"

"Charming..." Jorgen produced his own phone from his belt and dialed a number. The phone rang several times before being answered, though Ricky couldn't hear the voice, he felt an unmistakeable chill go up his spine.

"Yeah, it's me. I know, right? It _was_ fast, the girl has some serious skills, though she wasn't unscathed... Hm? No she's fine, magic wishes and all that... What? Oh she's fine, job keeps her busy, and mine keeps me busy, we don't see each other too often... How's- Oh, really? Sorry to hear that, well don't worry too much about it, if this kid could find love, you shouldn't have any problems... Alright, look just get down here. Dimmsdale Caverns, yep. See you in a sec."

"Who was that? You kept me waiting so long, I think I could feel myself aging!"

"You'll see..."

"Are you gonna finish me or what?! I'm getting bored waiting to die here!"

"No I won't."

A green portal suddenly opened, and out of it stepped a black cloaked figure wielding a scythe slightly larger than the figure itself.

"Sorry I took so long Jorgen, had to cut through the ghost zone to get here." the figure spoke with a slight Jamaican accent.

"He will."

"I will what?"

"He asked me to finish him, I said you will."

"_This _kid?" the figure pointed his scythe at Ricky. "Why? He's just a kid? How dangerous can he be?"

"Can you really ask that after dealing with _your_ charge, Grim?"

"Hmph, I suppose I can't... She's not as bad now though..."

"Yes, the little girl who practically enslaved you isn't so bad, I can totally understand where you're coming from." Jorgen's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Bah, you wouldn't understand, Jorgen. From what you told me of that red head over there, that Timmy kid would understand how I feel better than you!"

"Alright, alright, just take care of this punk so I can get back to my job and you can get back to your _girlfriend_."

The figure walked over to Ricky and stood over him, grumbling all the while. "Jorgen, this kid isn't even dead!"

"Of course not, he isn't human! He's a magically created being, why else would I call you? I don't have the authority to mete out death like you do. I would just banish him to that island of unwishing but he's too dangerous to have around."

Grim looked Ricky over, seeing the swords pierced into his chest and the multitude of wounds in his body. "Yeesh, I guess you're right, no human could survive this... Well then child, are you prepared?"

"Prepared for what you bag of bones?! Who _are_ you?!"

"I? I am the Grim Reaper!... Though as of late I do not get to do my job as often as I'd like, living in Endsville makes things... difficult."

"You? Hah! Stop fooling around! Vicky get over here and kill me or I'll destroy you, the Twerp, and both your families!"

Grim lowered his hood, exposing his bleached bone skull. "I _am_ the Grim Reaper, child, whether or not you believe me matters not, you may not be dead, but you're close enough. I assume you've already said your preferred last words?"

That feeling of fear returned, Ricky began to realize that this wasn't a joke, this really was _the_ Grim Reaper! "Now hold on here! You can't- you can't just do this! There must be rules or... or something! I was the wronged party here! I didn't wish myself into existence, he did! And it was for _her_! Then she tried to kill me! I only wanted revenge! Why should I die because of what they did?!"

"Dunno child, maybe the world just isn't fair... I certainly know that..."

Grim raised his scythe and brought it down into the ground next to Ricky, carving a tear in reality into the cavern floor.

"Ya missed ya bag of bones!"

"Defiant to the end huh? I didn't miss, I wasn't aiming for you, just opening the door..."

"Wha- What do you mean? What _is _that?! Dammit! Someone, anyone! I need help, Crocker you bastard!"

The portal in the floor widened and began to emit blood curdling screams, horrifying groans, and a multitude of sounds that would drive most anyone to insanity.

"Face your death with some courage, _Babe_!" Vicky yelled over the sounds of the portal, ensuring Ricky could hear her.

The portal widened more, emitting a black light, it darkened the cave as it poured out, and hands of all kinds began to reach out towards Ricky, clawed limbs, rotted human like hands, arms that seemed to be composed of darkness itself, tentacles from some creature... all kinds, all reaching for Ricky.

"Vicky! Help me please! I still love you! Not like this! Not like-" a tentacle wrapped itself around his mouth, muffling his cries for help.

Vicky merely looked away, the last thing he saw wouldn't be her eyes, he didn't deserve to.

"Mmph! Mmph?! Mmmmph!"

The hands removed the swords from his chest and pulled them into the portal, Ricky slowly followed, being dragged across the floor, after a few more seconds, he was pulled in completely. The portal began to close when Ricky suddenly appeared at the rim again, clawing his way back up, a desperate final attempt to escape, his face was now scorched and blistered, his wounds pouring blood again. A large clawed hand reached up behind him from the portal and hooked it's fingers into his mouth, catching him by the upper lip and pulling him back in, before the portal finally shut again plunging the cavern into silence, the only sound was dripping from somewhere far off.

"Wow that was uh... Pretty hardcore there, Grim..." said Jorgen.

"You did say you wanted him gone didn't you? Well he's gone, there's no coming back from where I sent him."

"You're sure? I mean I thought he was done when I had him taken care of... but we all know how that turned out..." Vicky spoke now.

Grim strode over to Vicky and offered his hand, she looked at him uncertainly.

"I don't kill everyone I touch, child..."

Vicky took his hand and stood up, Timmy standing with her to act as a crutch for her, she leaned on him heavily, the fight had taken more out of her than she thought.

"I'm sure. He isn't coming back."

"Well I guess I should thank you Mr. Reaper."

"Not really, I don't get to do my job much anymore, I do get some enjoyment out of my job, but my... _friend_ keeps me busy. This was my pleasure, to be honest. I think you and her would get along, if you ever met."

Grim now looked over at Timmy who was struggling to look over Vicky for any wounds the magic may have missed, while also holding her up. At least Timmy thought he was, the lack of eyes made it ambiguous.

"You must be Timmy, it's a pleasure to meet you. Jorgen's told me a lot, how you two are friends..."

"Grim! Shut it!"

"I... may have said too much, anyway, this is quite a catch you have here child."

"I know..."

"Then you know that you have to get stronger? Just as she protects you, you may have to rise to the occasion one day and do the same."

"I'll be ready, sir."

"Hah! No need to be so formal, you can both call me Grim, you're both much more amicable than the two children I have to deal with. Speaking of which..." Grim pulled up the sleeve of his cloak, revealing a wristwatch. "I really must be getting back, Mandy will likely be worried..."

"Worried?" Jorgen spoke up.

"I mean angry, that's what I meant." he walked away a few feet and swept his scythe through the air, ripping another hole in reality, the green glow from when he arrived emanated from this one. "Well, take care you two, Jorgen." as he motioned towards the portal, a blue skinned pudgy figure in cover-alls came flying out of the portal.

"I am the box ghost!" he was met with Grim's scythe being swung at him like a baseball bat, knocking him back into the portal.

"You see?! This is why I hate taking the shortcut through the ghost zone! Half of the mooks in here were sent her by me! And they still don't care, even though they're dead! They can go literally anywhere they want! Any universe, any plane of existence, but they all come out of my portals or in Amity Park!" Grim then entered the portal and it sealed shut behind him.

"I wish we were back in my room."

Vicky, Timmy, and Jorgen reappeared in Timmy's room. Timmy helped Vicky over to the bed and helped her out of her tattered clothes and chainmail, she was left in her underwear, and covered in her own, (and likely Ricky's) blood. Timmy looked over his shoulder to see Jorgen stealing a glance at Vicky.

"Do you mind?!"

"Oh, er... so- sorry..." Jorgen turned toward the fishbowl and began conversing with Cosmo and Wanda.

"Timmy, I'm gonna go take a bath..." Vicky stood up from the bed and staggered slightly, Timmy caught her and had her lean on him, then led her to the bathroom. Vicky turned the water on hot and allowed the tub to fill.

"Care to join me...?"

"Maybe later... I'm gonna see Jorgen out... You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just... exhausted... but we did it, right?"

"Well _you_ did it Vicky, I just stood by and watched..."

"Pfft... Whatever... you were there for moral support." Vicky went to reach behind her and couldn't. "Timmy, could you unhook my bra, I'm too tired to reach it..."

Timmy blushed bright red at her request. "Uh... yeah... sure." He struggled for a few seconds before undoing the clasp.

"Thanks Timmy-" she looked over her shoulder and saw a cloud of dust leading to the bathroom door, which shut half a second later. Vicky erupted into a fit of giggles at his reaction.

Jorgen turned around to see Timmy when he heard the bedroom door slam shut.

"Everything all right, Turner? Your face is bright red."

"Oh yeah. Just- just fine!"

"If there's nothing else, Turner, I really should go."

"...Alright, thanks again for the help Jorgen."

Jorgen then poofed himself out of existence. Cosmo and Wanda, on the other hand, poofed out of the fishbowl and in front of Timmy.

"So it's done then, huh sport?"

"Yeah, I guess so... It's probably for the best that you guys didn't see what me and Vicky did... I'm gonna have nightmares for a few weeks after _that_... You know how they say things like 'I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy'? That pretty much sums up what happened down there."

"So what happens now Timmy?"

"I dunno, guess we enjoy the rest of the summer..." he began picking up Vicky's tattered clothes, tossing them into the trash, the chainmail he hung up in the closet. "Of course, we still need to watch out for Crocker, and I'd be surprised if the police didn't show up here asking about Francis... but I think we're past the hardest part now... I love you guys. I don't think I say it enough, but I do."

"We love you too, Timmy." Cosmo, Wanda, and Timmy embraced then, happy it was finally done, and things could return to relative normal in Dimmsdale. "Maybe you should go check on Vicky, sport, she's had a rough day..." Wanda whispered to Timmy.

"Er... yeah, probably a good idea..." his face turned a bright shade of crimson at the thought.

"You okay? You're face is all red, Timmy." Cosmo put his hand on Timmy's forehead. "And you're burning up!"

"Now honey, Timmy's fine, he's just preoccupied with his... thoughts, that's all... let's leave him to it." with that they poofed back into the fishbowl and swam into their little castle.

Timmy walked back to the bathroom door and knocked on it.

"Come in." she didn't sound as tired now.

Timmy opened the door and was met with a wall of steam that flowed out around him. "Vicky?"

"I'm in here."

"Well yeah, but... there's so much steam, it's like a sauna in here, only there's more steam..."

"You do know the layout of the bathroom by memory, don't you?"

She had a point, he could easily find his way around with his eyes closed if he wanted to. He stepped in and closed the door behind him, then put his hand over his eyes and the other out in front of him, trying to sense his way around in the fog.

"You probably shouldn't cover your eyes..."

"Well I was just being respectful..." he then tripped over her discarded underwear and fell to the floor with an audible 'thud'.

"Because I haven't picked up my clothes and you might trip."

"Yeah..." he got up and again covered his eyes and put one hand in front of himself after kicking her clothes toward the far wall. He made his way over to where his mind told him the tub should be and suddenly felt a wet hand grab his outstretched one. "Wha-" he collided lightly with the edge of the tub.

"You can move your hand."

"But you're naked-"

She moved his hand away and he was greeted by the sight of Vicky sitting in the tub, up to her shoulders in bubbles.

"Yep, but I don't think you'll see much with all the soap."

Vicky looked at Timmy's face, the redness was fading, and there was a flash of disappointment(?) on his face, he covered it up quickly with a worried look now. The water was a light pinkish-red color.

"Don't worry, I'm not bleeding anymore, most of it's Ricky's anyway."

A look of relief washed over Timmy's face. "Are you really okay? Like _really?"_

"Well I did just defeat a male clone of myself, and I got pretty cut up in the fight, and I'm pretty sore still... but yeah, I'm _really_ okay." she pulled him close to her and leaned out of the tub, placing a kiss on his lips, it only lasted a few seconds, but it mattered little to either of them, it was their first real kiss in the relationship, and Timmy's first in general. "But thanks for worrying about me..."

Timmy found he was unable to respond, he was shocked by the sudden display of affection, and the warm feeling coursing through his body.

"So I'm guessing that was pretty good for you then?"

No response, Timmy was evidently in shock.

"Maybe you should go lay down for a while, I'll be in shortly."

Timmy nodded dumbly and left the bathroom, shuffling away like a zombie.

Vicky erupted into another giggle fit, struggling to keep her laughter under control.

"That is just too much fun!"

Timmy had returned to his room and slumped down onto the bed, lying on his back. He brought his hand up to touch his lips. He was happy, and suddenly very tired, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

A/N#2: Well I certainly hope nobody liked Ricky, he ain't coming back from that. Also if anyone's wondering, yes _that_ Grim Reaper from _that_ show. Thanks again for all the reviews and I urge you to check out the fics by Samuel Sadi, Am Sadi, hoagie (even though he/she doesn't write anymore, at least I don't think he/she does), and FabulousandDevious, all very good writers in my opinion, if you haven't already.


	19. Chapter 19

Vicky got out of the tub and wrapped herself in a towel, then drained the tub, still full of bubbles and pink water, the last physical evidence that Ricky had ever existed drained down into the Dimmsdale sewers.

She looked at her underwear, still bloody, and decided to simply throw it into the waste basket, rather than the laundry basket. She opened the bathroom door and the steam flowed out into the hall, she walked down the hall and into Timmy's room, she was leaving wet footprints and was still dripping wet, but it didn't really matter.

She entered the room and closed the door behind her, immediately she was hit with a cold blast of air, making goosebumps appear on her damp skin. She noticed Timmy, apparently asleep on the bed, and crept over to it, getting in and straddling him, she leaned her head over his face and watched as droplets of water dripped onto his face, he shifted slightly in his sleep, before cracking his eyes open.

"Oh, hey Vi-" he paused, realizing their positions, and Vicky's state of relative undress. "-cky... What's up...?" he was rapidly turning red.

"Nothing." she spoke in that sultry tone she reserved for flirting with him.

"Well you uh... ready for... bed?" Timmy was extremely nervous now, here was his girlfriend, on top of him, with only a few layers of fabric between them, and he was beginning to suspect her intentions.

She leaned down and rested her forehead on his, just staring into his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired I guess..." Timmy noticed the towel's grip slacken ever so slightly on Vicky.

Vicky got off Timmy and walked out of view, he moved to see where she went when he was suddenly hit in the face with the towel she had been wearing. He froze for a few seconds, wondering whether he should move the towel or not, when he finally did, Vicky stood before him in her regular sleep wear, her hand on her hip.

"If you were expecting a free show, I'm sorry to disappoint, but I'm far too tired, as I said."

"Wha- no! I'm not-"

"Don't get so flustered, I'm just messing around..."

"Yeah, I should be used to it by now..."

"Maybe if you're lucky, I'll feel up to _really _messing around tomorrow."

Timmy threw the towel back at Vicky, which she effortlessly side-stepped.

"You're a tease!"

"It doesn't have to be teasing..." she grinned at Timmy now.

Timmy contemplated the offer, there was no doubt in his mind that while Vicky playfully flirted with him frequently, she was likely serious in her most recent offer, possibly even some of the ones before.

"I... don't know if I'm quite ready for that, Vicky..."

"Well, standing offer, just so you know..." she was somewhat disappointed, she felt she was ready for _that_, but maybe she was still just feeling the adrenaline from almost dying and it was clouding her judgment, still, she wasn't about to force him into it, he'd be ready when he was ready, the summer was still young, and there wasn't anything that was going to stop them from seeing each other, Timmy's parents hardly cared about him, and the same could be said for her parents, the only difficulties would be with Timmy's friends, they would likely question his sanity should they find out, and Tootie, who Vicky really wasn't sure about. Would Tootie think that Vicky stole Timmy away from her? Vicky was snapped out of her thoughts by her phone alerting her she had an email.

Vicky grabbed the phone and checked her email.

"Oh, _him_..."

_V, Dealt with your problem? I dealt with Crocker, he won't be bothering you or your friend. Shouldn't have to worry about anyone from the Department coming down either, so you're both in the clear. The bones at the site were, in fact, human, the missing boy and Francis, the rest were likely the animals that disappeared. The fire has been ruled an accident, I've notified Francis' relatives, they seemed relieved, to be honest. Finally, try to stay out of trouble girl! This covering your ass is getting harder and harder, and I'm not getting any younger... -W_

"Wolfe?" Vicky had put two and two together and realized her hired assassin was the police officer who periodically looked out for her. "That sneaky bastard!"

"What's the matter?" Timmy queried at her outburst.

"Nothing, just an old friend..." she suddenly received another email and checked it.

_It's Wolfe by the way, in case you hadn't figured it out._

Vicky sent an email of her own.

_Fuck you. And yeah the issue has been dealt with, thanks. -V_

"Everything okay?"

"Oh... it's fine. Francis is dead, like I thought, and Crocker is likely to soon be rotting in prison."

"Well... you gonna come to bed?"

"You're not questioning any of this?"

"Well we both kinda figured that Francis was dead. And Crocker... well really I'm pretty happy about that, he would have been another problem for us, and you didn't kill him."

"I could still kill him..."

"No that's fine, I think I'd prefer to lay low for a day or two... or a week."

"Meh... you're no fun..."

"You coming to bed or what?" he returned to his position laying down in the bed.

After a minute Vicky joined him and rested her head on his chest, she could feel his heartbeat quicken slightly. "So I have this effect on you, huh?"

"Yep, that's love, apparently."

They both drifted off to sleep after a few moments.

_Meanwhile..._

"Look Crocker, I would eventually like to go home and get some sleep, so just tell me where your father in law is."

"I told you already! He's at my van!"

"We impounded the van, he wasn't there. Now tell me the one about the sultry argonian maid."

Crocker was blackened with soot, he had resisted more upon arriving at the Dimmsdale Police Department, and was met with several more tasings.

"Then I don't know where he is! And he isn't my father in law!"

"Crocker, I'm just looking for an excuse to tase you again, so I suggest you watch your tone." Wolfe stood up now. "I'm going to go talk to the chief, don't go anywhere cupcake." Crocker deadpanned at him. He was wrapped in chains bound to the chair he sat in, and handcuffed by every limb. "Oh right, well sit tight."

Wolfe walked over to the door to the chief's office and let himself in.

"Don't knock or anything." the chief sat at his desk eying some police reports.

"It would be a shame if I walked in on you sitting at your desk or something... Oh! Look at that!"

"Whaddya want Wolfe?...try saying that five times fast."

"Crocker is vehemently denying any involvement in the disappearances, also he smells like burnt flesh, and is stinking up the building. Granted that's my fault, but still."

"Why don't you just kill him?"

"Chief, we both know I can't _technically_ do that..."

"Hmph. I suppose you're right... Are you sure he's behind this?"

"No. There isn't enough evidence to prove my suspicions."

"But _you_ think he did it?"

"It really doesn't matter what I think, without evidence..."

"Then lie. With him, we have someone to pin all of this on."

"And I have your permission to do this?"

"It'll be our little... secret. I don't trust the man, he's a danger to himself and definitely others, and who knows? Maybe he is guilty, just do what you want, I know you have a personal stake in this, Wolfe."

"Fine. I'm calling _that_ place tomorrow then."

"What place? You mean...?"

"Yeah."

"You still have friends up there?"

"Yeah, though whether they are still... all there shall we say, is open to debate."

"Look Wolfe, you go ahead and do what you think you need to, but I don't want to hear about this case, or that _place_, ever again. I want nothing, I mean _nothing,_ to do with this now."

"Fair enough." Wolfe walked out of the office, not noticing the chief reach into his desk and produce a flask and take a swig from it.

"Damn psycho, how he survived a place like that intact I'll never know... then again, maybe he didn't."

Wolfe returned to where Crocker sat, fidgeting with impatience. "Well Crocker, chief says I can do what I want with you, and I have something very special in mind."

The look of fear on Crocker's face was priceless, Wolfe almost lost his composure and burst out laughing, but held it in.

"What exactly is going on here?! What will you do?!"

"My friends on the east coast are going to take care of you, no one here can stand you. Look at the bright side, I was gonna kill you, but I had a change of heart."

Wolfe unlocked the chains on Crocker and released him from the cuffs, then led him to an empty cell.

"You're being transferred tomorrow, I hope you like Maine, I hear the horrific abominations are nice this time of year."

Crocker had been drifting off, but was snapped back to reality by something Wolfe said.

"What?! What did you say?! Maine?!"

"Nothing, have a nice night, I'm going home."

Wolfe walked out of the station and towards his car, lighting a cigarette as he did. He took a puff and grimaced at the lit cigarette before spitting it out.

"Why do I even bother?" he tossed the rest of the pack in the dumpster and got in his car, then drove home.

_The next morning..._

"Atchoo!" Timmy awoke to the sound of a sneeze and realized that his nose was stuffed up and his throat, sore.

"Bless you... I told you that you'd get sick from being out in the rain... and then you spent all day in wet clothes!" Timmy spoke, sniffling occasionally.

"Heh... so did you... and you're paying for it now..." Vicky's eyes were red and watery.

"You told me to come out with you!"

"You didn't have to..."

"We both know that wasn't an option for me."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"The bright side is that we don't have to worry about getting each other sick from being so close."

"That isn't much consolation."

"Did you even open your gift yet?"

"No, it's downstairs, I'm too tired to go get it. You wanna go get it for me?"

"No, maybe later..." Timmy blew his nose. "This. Sucks."

"Well it could be worse..." Vicky pulled him back down next to her on the bed. "And you said you wanted to stay in for a while, now's a good time, I'd say."

"This isn't what I had in mind..."

"What did you have in mind?" She tried to sound sexy, but it mostly sounded like she was just congested.

"Are... are you coming on to me like _that_ while we're like... _this_?" Timmy gestured back and forth between them.

"Well... kinda."

"Go to sleep Vicky."

"Nope, we just slept for over twelve hours, I'm gonna do something productive." she released him and got out of bed, walking over and plopping down in the couch.

"But... I'm cold Vicky!"

"Then come sit with me, I'm not too sick to play video games, so you shouldn't be either."

Timmy got up from the bed dramatically slowly and shuffled like a walking corpse over to the couch, plopping down next to Vicky and resting his head on her lap.

"I don't feel like playing, you go ahead..."

"Jeez, having a girlfriend has made you boring..."

"No, being sick makes me boring." he stated matter-of-factly.

"Wait! Why don't we just wish ourselves better?"

"... Because then the... author couldn't write a chapter... about... us... being sick..." he sounded very groggy as he spoke.

"What?"

"...nuthin'..."

"Right. Whatever." Vicky turned on the game station and put Timmy's mad ramblings behind her. "You know what might be fun? Since we have magic at our disposal... one of these days we could wish ourselves into the games we play, could be fun."

"I dunno... about that. My wishes have a habit of blowing up... in my face."

"Maybe you just have to be very specific when wishing... achoo!"

"Bless you... maybe... maybe you're right."

"Alright fine Timmy, go to sleep, I'll wake you up if anything interesting happens." she was then almost immediately absorbed in her gaming.

Timmy drifted away into dream land.

_BANG BANG BANG_

_Three gunshots, three popped feral ghoul heads._

"_C'mon Vicky! I'm beating you here! Pretty bad too!" he reloaded his repeater and took aim again._

"_Yeah really fair, Twerp, you have your rifle, and VATS, I have a sword, I can never get near the enemies!"_

"_Not my fault you'd be more at home on some ancient battlefield than post apocalyptia."_

_It usually went this way, Timmy had always focused on guns in the vault, Vicky on melee. She figured that there wouldn't be much ammunition in the wasteland, but it seemed she was incorrect, everywhere they went, they found forgotten ammo boxes and abandoned firearms. Timmy delighted in picking off enemies from a distance, most never landed a hit on him or Vicky._

"_I couldn't have known there would be so much ammunition laying around! I figured things were as bad as the vault P.A. system said, endless radioactive wasteland, horrible mutants, no technology! But instead we got two out of three!"_

"_Well that's why we left, isn't it? They lied to us, wanted to keep us docile, our minds muddled, never knowing what life was truly like."_

"_You call this life? It's not great, Timmy. Raiders at every turn, radiation everywhere, and the mutants trying to eat us on a daily basis."_

"_Eh... it's better than growing old and gray in a vault..."_

"_I guess..."_

"_Cheer up, we have a nice house to live in at least. And things are looking up, that guy from vault 101 activated the purifier, and the brotherhood are patrolling the city, eradicating the mutants."_

"_Hmph."_

"_Don't be like that Vicky..." she didn't meet his gaze. "This is about me getting more kills than you, isn't it?"_

"_... No."_

"_Can't fool me, we grew up together, I know you."_

"_Fine, I am slightly annoyed..."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because I want to kill things too!"_

"_I'm just looking out for you, would you prefer to get hurt, or worse?"_

"_I don't need protecting... I can take care of myself!"_

"_I'm sure you could... I just..." he stopped and thought for a moment. "I just don't want you taking any unnecessary risks..." his voice cracked when he spoke._

"_Pfft. It almost sounds like you like me or something..." she spoke in a dismissive tone._

_There was no response from Timmy. When she looked over at him she saw he was looking at his feet._

"_Timmy?"_

_Still no response._

"_You..."_

"_I... I've had a crush on you for a while, Vicky..."_

"_You never said anything..."_

"_What could I say? I was afraid of what you'd say..."_

"_So... how long?"_

"_About as long as we've known each other... I never said anything because I was afraid it would change things between us, that you'd turn me down and it would strain our friendship. Eventually we'd stop being friends and go our separate ways... And in this world we live in? I was afraid you would be hurt, even killed, and I could never live with myself if that happened..."_

"_You're an idiot."_

"_Well that's not the response I expected... though I suppose it's kinda true."_

"_You wanted to watch out for me? And this whole time, you liked me, and didn't even tell me?"_

"_Er... yeah..." Timmy's voice was suddenly smaller than it had ever been._

_Vicky quickly walked toward Timmy and stopped right in front of him._

"_Vicky?"_

_She stood on her toes and planted a quick kiss on Timmy's lips. Both stood there in silence for several seconds, simply looking at each other. Timmy then raised his hand and rubbed at the back of his head._

"_So..."_

"_Let's get going." Vicky walked past Timmy and toward the ruins of some city whose name was lost to the marches of time, after a second, Timmy quickly followed after her._

Timmy was awakened from his dream by an explosion coming from the TV.

"Argh... do you have to make the TV so loud?" he was surprised to find that the nap had made him feel significantly better, weird as his dream had been.

"Yeah, I really do. Makes me feel like I'm right there in the action. How do you feel?"

"Good actually, really good, I don't think I'm even sick anymore." he no longer had a sore throat, or a heavily congested nose, and his eyes no longer felt puffy.

Vicky however, did not look better at all, her face had become rather pale, her eyes were still puffy, and her nose was red and irritated from being blown constantly.

"I'm not doing so hot, unfortunately... I think I have a fever..." she sounded pathetic, it seemed mean to say, but it was the closest thing that described how she sounded when she spoke. Timmy put his hand over her forehead to see if she was right.

"Yep. You're burning up, no more games, lie down in bed."

"But I haven't saved yet... let me finish the level..."

Timmy walked over to the game and turned it off. "I wasn't asking."

"Hey! That's my line..." Vicky pouted at Timmy for a few seconds before getting up off the couch and staggering to the bed and falling into it. "Now what? Are you gonna take care of me like a good boyfriend?" her voice was muffled from her head being buried in the pillow, but he understood her.

"Depends on if you're gonna be a good patient or not."

"Insert flirtatious dialogue here." apparently she really was sick, she couldn't think of a flirty comeback.

"Well you know me, I can't turn down helping a pretty girl."

"That's a weakness, pretty girls can take advantage of you letting your guard down..."

"It's a weakness I can live with."

"Well... I guess it's okay, long as you're referring to me."

"I don't see any other beautiful women in distress around here."

"Flattery will get you everywhere."

"See? You're already getting better. I'm gonna go make you some soup, anything else you want?"

"Orange Juice."

"Orange Juice?"

"Yeah. All of it."

"The... whole bottle?"

"_Both_ bottles."

"'Kay, I'll be back in a few." Timmy rubbed at his nose, it still felt congested now and then, and then it would pass suddenly.

"Hurry back."

Timmy left his room and went into the bathroom, checking the medicine closet for anything he could give to Vicky. He found nothing, unfortunately. The cold medicine was all used up, there were only pain pills and birth control pills left, along with some general toiletry items. "Great. Mom and Dad probably used it all up, knowing them they probably were just hoping to get high..."

He headed downstairs and cooked some chicken noodle soup for Vicky, wondering what magical property caused it to make you better when you're sick. Then grabbed the orange juice and carefully brought it all upstairs. Upon entering his room, he was met with an amorphous blanket wrapped shape on the bed, a tuft of hair poking out of a small opening, the hair covering a pink eye watching him.

"So are you some kind of blanket monster or...?"

"I'm freezing!"

"I turned off the AC, you're just getting chills from being sick." He placed the soup and juice down in front of her.

"Thanks." her hands slithered out of the blanket and grabbed the bottle of orange juice, it was mostly full, they had only had a glass or two from it. Vicky immediately downed the entire bottle and threw it into the trash basket.

"Thirsty?"

"A little." she had now moved on to the soup and was much more slowly eating it.

"Anything else I can get you?"

"Hmm... You know what? There is! Come here real quick." she had now finished the soup and had mostly retreated back into the blanket, her eye and hair being all that was visible again.

Timmy approached the bed and leaned down under the top bunk toward Vicky. She stuck out her arm and beckoned him closer with her finger while moving backward on the bed.

"Vicky, what are you..." he had suspicions as to her current game, but decided to play along anyway, perhaps the last vestiges of sickness were clouding his judgment somewhat. He moved onto the bed and crawled over to her. "What is it?"

The blanket Vicky wrapped herself in then sprang forward and opened up, revealing Vicky with a predatory smile on her face. The blanket looked like a creature about to swallow him whole now, and he didn't react quickly enough to get away. He was plunged into darkness and tackled onto the bed by Vicky, she once again straddling him, her face hovering inches over his.

"We must stop meeting like this, Vicky." though it was dark, his eyes quickly adjusted to it and he was able to see her, the darkness marred her features and he couldn't tell if she was looking any better after having eaten, but she seemed to be getting back to her old self.

"Nah, I don't think so. I quite enjoy our little meetings... and I think you do too."

"... Ya got me there, I do."

Vicky leaned down and planted a quick kiss on his lips, then pulled back and waited for his reaction. He seemed to lay there in shock for a few seconds before he leaned up and kissed her back, shocking her slightly, then pulled away himself.

"That's more like it!" she was surprised that he was brave enough to kiss her so soon after their first kiss, nevertheless, she was excited and happy as well.

Timmy was glad they were in the darkness of the blanket, his face was likely beet-red. "I hope we have the same sickness, otherwise I'll probably get sick again after that."

"I think you'll be just fine..." she thought back to a few hours earlier.

"_Hey, Wanda, come here real quick, please?"_

"_What's the matter, Vicky?"_

"_I wish Timmy's cold was gone."_

_Wanda raised her wand and the wish was done._

"_Do you want to heal yourself too?"_

"_No, that's fine, it's kinda my fault he got sick, so I just wanted him to get better."_

"_Vicky, you don't have to punish yourself all the time, Cosmo, Timmy, and I all forgive you for what you did..."_

"_I know, it's just..."_

"_You want someone to take care of you... because you're family never really did?"_

"_That's too good for a guess... am I being selfish?"_

"_Well... a little, but I don't think Timmy would mind, plus you wished for him to be better, that isn't selfish, not by itself anyway._

"_Maybe... thanks Wanda. You know for the wish, and the talk."_

"_Anytime Vicky."_

"Vicky?"

Vicky was brought out of her thoughts by Timmy calling her name.

"Sorry, I was drifting off there." she leaned down and rested her forehead on his.

"Well your fever isn't as bad as it was... but it's definitely still there."

"Good thing I've got such a dedicated doctor here to watch over me..."

"Well, I try."

Vicky slumped down next to him, wrapping her arm around his waist and draping her leg over his.

"You mind staying here like this and keeping me warm?"

"You make it sound like I have a choice."

"Well... you do have a choice, if you don't want to..."

_Now_ she was turning it around on him?

"Vicky, you know there's nowhere I'd rather be." he moved the blanket so both of their heads were poking out from under it. "But I need to be able to breathe." They laid there for a few minutes before Vicky threw the blanket off of herself, she was now drenched in sweat.

"Grr... Now I'm hot as hell!"

"Singing your own praises now?"

"What?"

"Well I know how hot you are, you're the most beautiful girl I know."

"Wha- No, I mean I'm hot, temperature-wise."

"I know, I'm just messing with you. Your body is trying to sweat out the sickness."

"Well my body needs to make up its mind!" Vicky began shivering again. "Damnit!"

Timmy threw the blanket on to Vicky and pulled her over to him. "Just relax, this is the best way to get better... I think."

"There's no medicine?"

"No, my parents used it all..."

"Great."

"Yeah that was my reaction too."

Vicky grabbed the other bottle of orange juice and began drinking it. "You want some?"

"Sure." he took it from her and drank some as well.

"I heard orange juice is good for when you're sick."

"Technically I think it's more of a preventative measure than a curative one..."

"Whatever, it's delicious when I feel sick."

Timmy's phone began ringing.

"Argh... what now?" he got up from the bed, much as he wanted to stay in bed with Vicky, the call might be important.

"Hello?"

"Hey man, how's it going?" it was AJ.

"Fine." he was hoping to end the call quickly and return to Vicky.

"Vicky hasn't killed you yet, I see."

"No she hasn't. She isn't that bad anymore AJ..."

"Sounds like she's brainwashed you, Timmy. I told you not to let your guard down."

This conversation was obviously not going very far, judging by AJ's response.

"Maybe she has..."

"Wish I could help you out, but we just made it to Cape Cod, and my family has no intentions of leaving anytime soon. Sorry."

"Well have fun, AJ. And think about what I said, Vicky isn't as bad as I used to say she was."

"_You _think about what _I_ said, she has her claws in you man, you're obviously not thinking straight. I'll call you later."

"Alright bye." Timmy hung up the phone and placed it on his end table.

"Who was it?"

"AJ, he seems to think you've brainwashed me cause I said you weren't so bad."

"Well I can't really blame him. I guess most people aren't as forgiving as you are."

"Whatever. I don't care what he thinks. Nobody is gonna tell me who I can or can't see. Nor who I can or can't love, not my friends, not my parents, not anyone."

He returned to lying in bed with Vicky and crawled next to her under the covers. He was beginning to feel sleepy when his phone rang again.

"Does this remind you of anything, Timmy?"

"Reminds me that I should turn my phone off so people stop interrupting me while I'm trying to cuddle with my girlfriend."

Timmy got out of bed, again. And answered his phone.

"What?!"

"Whoa, dude, calm down! It's Chester, you alright?"

"I'm fine, just busy is all."

"Well AJ just called and said that Vicky brainwashed you, so I thought I'd call and ask what's up."

"Like I said, I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine... you sound angry, like Vicky."

"I told AJ this, and now I'll tell you, Vicky isn't that bad."

"She really did brainwash you!"

"I really don't have time for this..."

"You better make time, I'm worried about you dude! We both are! I'm calling Tootie!"

"Wait! Don't-!"

The line went dead.

"Shit."

"What's up?"

"Chester's gonna call Tootie, apparently all my friends think that you have effectively brainwashed and enslaved me."

"Pfft. If only they knew the truth."

"It might scare them all to death."

"That could be fun..."

"I don't want my friends to die, I don't dislike them that much yet, and I don't think you dislike Tootie that much."

"So either we come up with an elaborate lie... or we tell them the truth and hope for the best."


	20. Chapter 20

Timmy stared at his phone, awaiting the ring he knew would be here any minute, he still wasn't sure if he would lie to his friends or tell them the truth.

The phone rang, scaring Timmy from his thoughts. He went to reach for it, but Vicky snatched it away and answered it.

"Timmy! Chester and AJ just called and said that my sister has brainwashed you! Are you alright?! If Vicky hurt you, I'm gonna give her such a talking to!"

"Are you now, Toots?"

There was silence from Tootie's end.

"And brainwashing? Aren't you kids getting a little old for science fiction stuff like that?"

"V-Vicky?"

"Yep, me."

"I uh... I thought I called Timmy's phone, sorry-"

"You did."

Again, silence.

"Why are you answering Timmy's phone? Is he okay?"

"He's fine, I'm taking care of him after all."

"Well you're not brainwashing him, right?"

"Let me ask..."

Vicky moved the phone away from her ear and looked over at Timmy.

"Am I brainwashing you? Are you not in charge of your faculties?"

"No, you haven't brainwashed me, I'm still me..."

Vicky returned the phone to her ear.

"See?"

"Chester and AJ said that Timmy said you aren't as bad as they think, that's kind of odd coming from him..."

"Well you, as my sister, know that I'm not that bad..."

"No, but you can be, and Timmy always got the worst of it..."

"So?"

"So... Why is he suddenly saying you aren't as bad? He seemed to think he was pretty dead when he found out you were taking care of him all summer."

"I dunno, maybe he's matured?"

"Or maybe you brainwashed him, or tricked him, or you're blackmailing him?"

"Hah! Those are all great ideas! Good guesses! I mean you're wrong, but good try, nonetheless."

"Then what did you do to him? He wouldn't just change over the course of a few weeks..."

"I don't see what the big deal is, you ever think you worry too much?"

"No, I don't."

"It almost seems like you still like him or something..."

There was silence once again from Tootie's end.

"Tootie?"

"...Still here."

"_Do_ you still like him?" Vicky looked over at Timmy, he had a concerned expression on his face.

"No... well I mean, not really... kind of...?"

"Tootie, this is ridiculous, there are plenty of guys out there. You've been pining after him for years and nothing has ever come of it..."

"I can't help what my heart wants, and it wants Timmy."

"Those feelings will only lead to heartache..."

"But... maybe I could..."

"No, you can't. Tootie, move on, it's for the best."

"Why are you saying things like this?"

"Because it has been the same between you two for years, you always chasing after him, and he always running away, he even got a restraining order against you..."

"I won't give up."

"Wha?"

"You never give up Vicky. I need to be more like you, never quitting, and taking what I want."

"No you don't. I'm not a good person, you don't want to be like me..."

"Its the only way I can get what I want, the only way he will love me."

"You aren't going to give him up, are you?"

"No, I won't, I can't. He _will_ love me."

"He won't..."

"Why do you say that?"

Vicky looked over at Timmy again, briefly wondering how much of the conversation he had become privy to.

"He... loves someone else..."

"What?! Who?! Is it that bitch Veronica?! Or Trixie?! They won't get in my way!"

Vicky was surprised to hear this side of Tootie, she thought she had given up on Timmy, but it seemed she was just suppressing her feelings...

"Nope, wrong on all accounts, sorry."

"But you know who it is?!"

"Yep. He told me himself."

"Who?!"

"I... don't think you really want to know..."

"I do! Tell me! I need to know!"

"Fine... It's me."

There was silence from the other end, then Vicky heard Tootie burst out laughing.

"Pahaha! That's good Vicky! I had forgotten your sense of humor! Oh God, that's too much!"

Now there was silence from Vicky's end.

"Vicky?"

"Not a joke..."

"Vicky, this isn't funny..."

"Isn't meant to be..."

"You're... you're serious...?" the question was squeaked out.

"I am."

"I want to talk to Timmy..."

Vicky handed the phone to Timmy. He took it and covered the microphone.

"What are you doing?!" he exclaimed in a whisper.

"She wants confirmation from you." she was whispering now too.

"You told her?!"

"You were right here!"

"I was zoning out!"

"Well you better talk to her soon, you've kept her waiting for a few minutes now..."

Timmy rolled his eyes and Vicky mouthed: "Don't roll your eyes at me!"

"Hello?"

"Is what Vicky said true?"

"What uh... What part?"

"That you love her?"

"...Yes... it's true..."

"Put Vicky back on the phone."

He handed the phone back to Vicky.

"Tootie?"

"He really isn't brainwashed..."

"No."

"How?"

"I don't know. I guess maybe it's because of how much time we spend together or something..."

"But- but I tried, and then you... You stole him from me!"

"I could only steal him if you already had him, and you never did..."

"But I love him! This isn't fair!"

"He doesn't love you, he cares about you as a friend, and treasures the relationship you have, but he doesn't _love_ you. I'm sorry you had to find out like this, but..."

"You aren't sorry! I should have known you were still evil! You _live_ to make people miserable! And you want me to be miserable! After everything we talked about..."

"I'm not going to argue with you, Tootie. You can think of me however you like, but you're still my sister, and I love you."

"Well I _don't_ love you!" she hung up the phone.

"That went... about as well as expected..."

"Well, it's about what I expected..."

"You think she'll tell Chester and AJ?"

"She might, but I only know her so well, she's your sister..."

"Eh, she'll get over it."

"Just like that?"

"It'll take some time, but she will."

Timmy's phone began to ring again. This time, he snatched it away from her and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Dude?! What the hell?!" it was Chester.

"So I'm gonna assume you talked to Tootie..."

"Yeah! I did! Are you nuts?!"

"Maybe a little..."

"Maybe a lot! Why are you in a relationship with _her_,of all people?!"

"Like I said, she isn't as bad as you think..."

"You were the biggest speaker when it came to how Vicky is! The most vivid, the most colorful, the most in-depth! Why the sudden change?!"

"People change, Chester."

"How long has this been going on? Since summer? Before that? Have you two been together for years?! How long has she had her claws in you?!"

"No! Of course not! That's sick! Just since summer..."

"She must be brainwashing you, or blackmailing you, or... or something!"

"I can assure you there is no blackmailing or brainwashing or trickery of any kind involved."

"I can't believe this! You and _her_? She's a monster! The worst of the worst! Pure evil, plain and simple."

Timmy could feel anger bubbling up in him now. "Chester, I'm going to put this very plainly so you understand, Vicky is my girlfriend, I am her boyfriend, and you are my friend, but if you ever, _ever_, talk about her in any way other than amicably, you will know what it means to be hurt. Do you understand me?"

Chester was horrified by the tone in Timmy's voice, it felt like he was ten again and Vicky was talking to him about what she might do to him if he disobeyed.

"A-Alright man... sorry..."

"Good, now we can go back to being friends and act like this little incident never happened."

"Sure man, I'll uh... talk to you later."

"Bye."

He placed the phone down and looked at Vicky. She was just standing there, smiling at him.

"What?"

"Nothing, I'm just impressed at how you handled that."

"What potentially cutting all ties with my friend?"

"Yeah, that. You're getting some evil undertones, like me."

"I told you, no one is going to keep us apart, if I had to spend eternity with any one person of my choosing, I'd pick you, everytime."

"How romantic..."

"I try."

"Though I'm not entirely sure I'd want to live forever, that's a lot of loss to have to deal with..."

"Eh, I can think of fates worse than that. Being without you, for example."

"You're really pouring on the charm today huh?"

"Well, I'm trying to be nice, you're still sick."

"Then shall we return to the bed?"

"Lead the way."

This time, Timmy did turn off his phone, he had had enough excitement from his friends, he was content to just spend the rest of the day with Vicky, helping her recover.

The thought to cure Vicky of her sickness was tempting, but he didn't, mostly because he wanted to spend time with her, like this. It was selfish, but he was too caught up in enjoying Vicky's arms around him to care.

"How're you feeling?"

"Hot."

"Well, if we lie here long enough, you should sweat out the sickness, and you should probably keep drinking lots of liquids."

"There's no more orange juice..."

"I could go get some..."

"But then you'd leave me all alone... and I'm sick!"

"Not like I want to leave, but if you want to get better, I should really get you some juice or something."

"Ugh... fine. Go my prince, get some delicious nourishment so that your princess is able to get over this wasting sickness."

"I don't think it's quite that bad..."

"I poured on the drama a little too thickly there, I suppose..."

Timmy got dressed and grabbed his wallet, then left the house, making sure to lock the door behind him. He wasn't worried too much about anyone showing up at his house while he was gone, the last of his enemies were snuffed out, at last. But something about Vicky being sick made him want to stay by her side and protect her, no matter what.

Timmy continued walking down the street, happy he left his phone behind, he was sure that AJ or Tootie would call him soon, and he didn't want to talk to them right now, he was somewhat mad at Vicky for telling them too, it wasn't something he wanted to share, they would give him no end of shit for dating a girl six years older than him, and especially so because she was Vicky. Lucky for her, she was sick, so he would be unable to stay mad at her for very long.

Timmy was snapped out of his thoughts by police sirens blaring right behind him.

"Hold it right there! Put your hands above your head and turn around, nice and slow..."

"Jeez, what now?!"

The officer stepped out of the car and approached Timmy.

"You wanna tell me where you're going so late in the morning, son?"

"It's ten-thirty in the morning on a Saturday..."

The officer looked at his watch. "So it is..."

"I'm going to get some orange juice for my girlfriend."

The officer stared at Timmy, Timmy stared back unflinchingly. The two continued this way for nearly a minute before the officer broke out in laughter.

"Pahaha! Don't look so serious kid! The name's Wolfe, Arlen Wolfe, at your service! Ha, you're as serious as that red head!"

"You know Vicky?"

"Every officer at the station knows Vicky, just that most of them are afraid of her, I'm not."

"Why is that?"

"We have a mutual understanding, her and I."

"Oh. Okay, I think she mentioned you off-hand, it's nice to meet you. I'm happy that not everyone I meet hates or is afraid of Vicky."

"So you must be Timmy then? She told me about you, told me quite a bit, if you understand what I'm suggesting..."

"Yeah, I should've known..."

"Eh, don't worry overmuch kid, I'm happy for her, she always seemed too unapproachable for all the sorry sacks that call themselves men around here. Nice to see someone was finally able to get through to her."

"Thanks, I think?"

"Don't mention it, how is she by the way?"

"She's come down with a cold, I'm out getting her some juice so she'll feel better..."

"Ah! And you're dedicated too! You're both great catches for lucky suitors! Lucky you found each other."

"Just a few months ago, you might have a different opinion about us..."

"I know all about that, yeah, you've both had some rough patches, but at least you both got over it."

"We're getting through another one right now, well more like we're in one..."

"How's that?"

"She told her sister that we're... together."

"So?"

"I'm friends with her sister, her sister has a crush on me, and her sister told my friends that I'm dating her. My friends think Vicky is evil, and Tootie, her sister, thinks that Vicky is dating me out of spite towards Tootie..."

"Hmph... Quite a conundrum there..."

"You're telling me..."

"You're not having second thoughts about Vicky, are ya?"

"No, of course not."

"Then don't worry so much, you'll just give yourself a headache. Long as you love each other, everything else will fall into place."

"I get the feeling you know more than you say..."

"You wouldn't be the first to think that..."

"How do you know so much?"

"Trust me kid-" he lit up a cigarette. "-you really don't want to know..."

Timmy looked at Wolfe and saw something in his face when he said the last sentence that suggested he was right, this wasn't something he wanted to know.

"Well, I really should get going..."

"Before I forget, that teacher of yours, Crocker I think?"

"Yeah?"

"He's been... taken care of. You very likely won't see him again, and if you do, he won't be bothering you again."

"I assume we have you to thank for that?"

"Indeed."

"Well then, thank you for that."

"Yep." Wolfe went back to his car and got in it, then drove away.

"That guy may be helpful... but he's frickin' weird..."

Timmy arrived at the store and grabbed six large bottles of orange juice, then went to the front counter to pay for them.

"Will there be anything else, sir?"

"Nope, just the OJ."

"Got a craving for vitamin C?"

"Not me, my friend, she isn't feeling well."

"Well, you're a good friend!"

"I try."

He now walked back to his house, glad he didn't have far to go, the heat coupled with the weight of the orange juice already had him pretty exhausted.

He opened the door and locked it behind him. "Vicky? I'm home!" He heard a groan from upstairs. _"So she's about the same..."_

He put the juice in the fridge and grabbed one for Vicky, then returned upstairs to his room. He found Vicky wrapped in a blanket again, a tuft of hair and part of her face being the only visible part of her.

"So... back to blanket monster?"

"Why don't you come over here and find out...?"

"Y'know, normally I would know better than to do that, but I'm strangely compelled to fall for the same trap..."

He made his way over to the bed and climbed in, she was already near the wall the bed rested against. "C'mon! Do you really think I would try the same trick twice?"

He moved closer to her and the blanket opened up for a split second, revealing Vicky as she lunged forward to tackle him to the bed again. They were enshrouded in darkness again for several seconds before Timmy spoke up.

"Yes. Met your friend Wolfe while I was out." he handed her the juice. "Seems he knows quite a bit about you and I."

"Yeah, probably because I told him."

"Long as you don't tell anyone about Cosmo and Wanda..."

"Yeah, I know."

"Sorry, not trying to nag, I'm just being cautious..."

"Did he say anything else?"

"Just that he was happy that you found someone like me, and that we won't have to worry about Crocker again..."

"Oh, okay." she had already finished the juice bottle.

"Who is he anyway?"

"Someone who looked out for me when things were tough, at least to the best of his abilities... he's... strange, to say the least. I may say that my life has been tough, but he has seen some _shit_. I mean serious shit. Even I don't know what exactly, but I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

"But he's helped you? On multiple occasions?"

"Yep. One of the few people who are trustworthy in the police station."

They both sat in silence for several minutes under the blanket before Timmy spoke up.

"So what now?"

Vicky glanced over to Timmy and her characteristic predatory smile appeared. She lunged at him again and crashed her lips into his, just light kissing at first then she deepened the kiss and it lead to touching as well, this continued for several minutes before they broke the kiss, and were panting slightly.

"You uh... taste like oranges. It's like kissing an orange." he spoke between breaths. "Not that I'm complaining!" he quickly put his hands up in defense.

"Good thing you added that." Vicky stood up and grabbed some clothes from her suitcase, along with a towel. "I'm going to take a bath, maybe the hot water will help me get decongested."

"Okay..."

Vicky just stood there, looking at Timmy.

"What?"

"We've been in this situation before, Timmy."

"Uh..."

"Care to join me?"

Timmy immediately blushed bright red, not at the question, more at the fact that his hormones were screaming at him to take the invitation after what he and Vicky had just done. But at the same time, he wasn't sure if he was ready, they had been together for a few weeks now, probably a month, if it weren't for the fact that the summer had been extended. But was he ready for _that_? Was she? She seemed like she was, but it might be just a bluff... Her face betrayed no emotion, only that confident smile. He didn't want to ruin things between them, especially being so... inexperienced in this particular field. He knew he had to answer her soon, he had kept her waiting long enough.

"O...okay..."

Timmy saw the confident look on Vicky's face shatter, and she blushed brighter than he did. It appeared that it _was_ a bluff on her part, and he called it, though he only had a sneaking suspicion that it was a bluff.

"You-You're sure? I mean if you don't want to... I-I won't force you... I want to! But... I mean, um... only if you think... you're ready..."

"Y'know, just because we're bathing together doesn't mean..."

"I know!" she spoke, and it didn't quite sound like her, more like a younger version of her.

"If you aren't comfortable..."

"I'm fine! Really, I just... didn't expect you to... take the offer... kind of."

"Well, to be honest, I wasn't sure if you were serious or not, all those times you asked, I'm not exactly... sure about this whole thing..."

"So you're still...?"

"Well yeah, I'm only fourteen, it's not like I go around town trolling for... you know... Wait! You mean you?! You haven't-"

"No, I haven't. With the amount of people that dislike or fear me in this town, anything like _that_ would be... non-consensual, shall we say."

"Oh... uh, sorry for bringing it up."

"Well, on the bright side, neither of us will know what the hell we're doing, should we both be serious about this... are we serious about this?"

"Long as you're okay with it..."

Vicky realized he had cleverly switched their roles, now he was asking her if she was ready, rather than the other way around. "I asked you, didn't I?"

"Yeah..."

"Well then, I'll see you in there...?"

"Just... gotta grab my clothes..." Vicky quickly left the room.

After grabbing his clothes and a towel for himself, he left his room and approached the bathroom door, then knocked twice. "Vicky?"

"You're like, sixty seconds from seeing me naked, and you're knocking?"

"Well, just being respectful..."

"Good thing too, else you'd have been hit with a bar of soap. Come in."

Timmy opened the door and was hit with a blast of steam and hot air.


	21. Chapter 21

"You're letting all the hot air out."

"W-well I can't see!" but he shut the door all the same.

"Yup, just like before, it's like a sauna in here!"

Timmy heard water sloshing around in the direction of the tub. The mist in the bathroom was too thick for him to see more than a few inches in front of him, he was surprised how quickly the bathroom had filled with steam, the water was probably ridiculously hot. _"She probably hopes to scare me off with the hot water..."_

"_I really hope the hot water scares him off, this might not have been the best idea for a bluff..."_ "Timmy?"

"Still here... just-" she heard him bump into the laundry basket. "Ow! Just fumbling around..."

"Follow the sound of my voice..." she made her voice sound somewhat like a ghost's.

"Alright, let me just... whoa!" there was a thud from closer in the bathroom. "You just left your clothes in the middle of the floor again, didn't you?"

"Would I do something like that?"

"...Yep."

"You okay?"

"I'll live... can't guarantee you will when I find my way to you..."

"Not like you're doing great so far..."

Timmy was bumbling around on purpose, hoping in some way to stave off what his hormones were screaming at him.

"How uh... how hot's the water?"

"You won't get burned... much. How much longer are you gonna keep stalling?"

"_Crap."_ it seemed she saw through his ruse. "I'm not stalling..."

"I'm afraid I know when you're lying..."

He heard a splash and was hit with a wave of hot water.

"Jeez! How can you stand it so hot?!" he was dripping wet now.

"You get used to it. Now that you're already soaked, you might as well get in."

Timmy began peeling off his clothes, grumbling slightly as he did. Once they were off, he stood in the middle of the bathroom, awkwardly covering himself with his hands.

"Are- Are you covering up?"

"How is it you can see me, but I can't see you?"

"These X-ray glasses of yours are neat! A little tweaking and I can see through the steam in here!"

"What?!"

"Don't worry, it's still on the 'flesh' setting, you just look like an awkward green skeleton, although, if I just turn this dial..."

She heard Timmy rush forward and leap into the tub with a splash, but didn't see him surface at first, she moved her right foot towards his end of the tub and pushed him slightly. Timmy surfaced, gasping for breath and red-faced.

"You trying to sneak a peek at something?" a sly expression on her face.

"Wha-No! The water is too soapy for me to open my eyes while under it..."

"Hah! A likely story... Is your face red because of the situation, or the hot water?"

"I'd say it's a little of column A and a little of column B..."

"Well, let's just see if I can tip the scales in column A's favor..." Vicky moved forward, towards Timmy, his eyes unconsciously glanced down at her chest, covered in bubbles, before looking up again to meet her pink eyes.

"Hi..."

There was silence from Vicky, that sly smile of hers being the only thing to indicate her current mindset.

"Um... I... If you're still not... c-comfortable with this, w-we don't have to..." he was cut off by Vicky's lips crashing into his, not wanting to let her have all the fun, he returned it with equal fervor.

_Some time later..._

Vicky rested up against the back of the tub, still panting slightly, with Timmy resting his head on her chest.

"That was..."

"Yeah..."

"Yeah, that's a good way to put it. How are you... feeling?"

"It was... great, I can't help but feel like you're lying about not having any experience..."

"I was referring to whether or not you were feeling better from being sick, not... _that_. And as I said before, I haven't had any girlfriends, or study partners, or one night stands, or booty calls..."

"Alright! I get it! I'm feeling much better, the steam really helped me get decongested, thanks for asking."

"Happy to hear it."

"Can you... get off? I don't want to turn into a prune..."

"Oh! Uh... sure." Timmy moved off her and got out of the tub, then dried himself off and got dressed in his sleeping clothes. "Sorry I-" he was interrupted by the sight of Vicky getting out of the tub, he quickly brought his hand up to his eyes with a slapping sound.

"After what we just did, you're covering your eyes from my naked body?"

"Well... I mean..."

"You're either a gentleman or the biggest prude ever..."

"A little of both I'd say..." he heard the sounds of her walking around, then getting dressed.

"You can look now."

He moved his hand and opened his eyes to the sight of a still topless Vicky. He was briefly aware of a trickling feeling from his nose before his mind went blank.

Vicky grabbed her shirt and put it on. "Ooh! A nose bleed! I thought that was a myth perpetrated by anime shows!"

Vicky's voice brought his brain back from vacation and he grabbed his towel to wipe his nose. "I stand corrected, you _are_ evil."

"Oh come now, would someone who is evil..." she moved forward and put her arms over his shoulders, then leaned down towards him and brought her face to right in front of his. "Do this?" she kissed him again, though not nearly as greedily as several minutes earlier.

"Possibly."

"Hmph." Vicky had a pouting expression on her face.

"Don't be like that, you know I'm kidding."

"You're lucky I know you so well, otherwise you'd be sleeping on the couch..."

"For a little comment like that?"

"Yeah, I'm a sensitive soul, easily hurt by the opinions and insults of others, especially by those of the person I love..." as she said this, she put the back of her hand on her forehead and mock-swooned so she fell into Timmy's arms.

Timmy deadpanned at her.

"What?"

"You're quite an actress, I'll give you that."

"Thanks, I like to think I'm a pretty good actress, to be able to fool most of Dimmsdale, and you're parents."

"To be fair, fooling my parents is about as easy as taking candy from a baby, with no one supervising the baby, and the baby is a quadruple amputee."

"That's... oddly specific..."

"Sometimes my mind works its way into some very dark places."

"That's an understatement..." they left the bathroom and returned to the bedroom.

Vicky entered the room first and paled instantly, before leaping at the bed and wrapping herself in the comforter again.

"What's up?"

"It's frickin' cold in here!"

"Well we did just take a near scalding bath, and we left the air conditioner on..."

"Aren't you bothered by the cold?!"

"Not really, no." Timmy walked over to his phone and turned it on. "Oh look, I have twenty-seven missed calls..."

"Anyone I know?"

"Well yeah, Tootie, Chester, AJ..."

"Oh, just the Twerp squad..."

Timmy's phone began ringing in his hand, it was AJ. "Shit." He answered. "Hello?"

"So I'm told that you and Vicky are an item now?"

"From who?"

"Tootie and Chester."

"Are you calling to voice your disappointment in me?"

"No, I'm happy for you, I mean, it's weird as hell that you would hook up with her, the girl you claimed was so evil for all these years, but if you two are happy together, who am I to question it?"

Timmy stood in silence for a full minute before finding his voice. "This is AJ, my friend, right?"

"Yep, it's me."

"Just checking, I expected everyone to be... unsupportive of this..."

"Nah man, it means that since you're taken, I can move in on Trixie, like I've always meant to."

"You like Trixie? _You_?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just... surprised, that's all..."

"Well my parents are rich, all I have to do is seem popular, and I should have no problems. Especially with the legendary sweater vest."

"News flash, much as I hate to burst your dreamland bubble, a sweater vest doesn't get you a girl, and it most certainly doesn't get you laid."

"Pah! What do you know? The only advantage you had was that you and Vicky spent way more time together than most arch enemies do, that's how you two are together now."

"You're right AJ, it likely had nothing at all to do with the fact that we have similar interests, or the fact that we just like each other, this all happened because she babysat me." his voice was laced with sarcasm.

"Oh! So you like to torture children and small animals too?" he was turning his sarcasm back on him now.

"Did you call as a friend, or as a dick? If you called as a dick, then I really don't want to hear it."

"Did you ever think about how this news would affect Tootie? How much it hurts her to lose the guy of her dreams to her evil older sister?"

"First of all, as I told Chester, you will _not_ call Vicky evil when I am within earshot. Second, I'm not hers to lose! I was never hers to begin with! She has been chasing me for years and she told me that she had finally given up, why should it matter who I date?!"

"It matters to her, and you dating her sister is just... wrong."

"So you lied, it does bother you that me and Vicky are in a relationship!"

"Don't you see what's wrong with the whole thing?!"

"No, I don't. I wouldn't judge you for who you love, don't judge me for who I love."

"Open your eyes man! She has her claws in you and you don't even realize it! She's trying to get us all apart and then she'll strike! Kick us all while we're down! She's the worst of the worst! There is no redemption for people like her, I just wish I was nearby so I could snap you out of whatever she's done to you!"

"Well, give me a sec so we can converse more... directly."

"Wha-?" Timmy hung up the phone.

"I wish I had a teleporter, hand-held, goes anywhere I want it to by typing it into a little keyboard." a device not unlike a high end phone appeared in his hands. "Thanks guys." Cosmo and Wanda winked at him, still in their goldfish forms.

Timmy typed into the keyboard 'Behind AJ', and was quickly transported to the inside of a motel room, standing behind AJ as he looked questioningly at his phone. Timmy extended his arm and tapped AJ on the shoulder.

"Whoa! Uh... hey Timmy... where are your pants?"

Timmy looked down and realized he was still wearing the shorts he usually slept in. He pinched the bridge of his nose before returning his attention to AJ, and extended his arm once more, this time with significantly more force, and directed his fist into AJ's face, connecting with his nose and hearing a muffled cracking sound.

"Ah! Dude! You- You broke my frickin' nose! What the fuck?!"

Timmy looked down at his now floored friend, then at his knuckles, he rubbed at them slightly. _"Maybe she is rubbing off on me..."_

"I told you, you won't talk bad about my girlfriend as long as I'm within earshot. I warned you, and you didn't listen."

"So you broke my nose?!"

"Nothing compared to what Vicky would do if you had talked bad about me to her."

"You know what? I was wrong, you aren't brainwashed, the two of you are perfect for each other!"

"Thanks, I think so too." Timmy hit a button on the phone marked 'return' and was suddenly back in his room. "Wow, this thing is pretty cool! I'm back!" Cosmo and Wanda waved their fins at him and he waved back.

"You were gone?" Vicky's sleep-addled voice came from the bed.

"Were... you asleep?"

"Yeah... where'd ya go?"

"Just had to take care of something..."

"Okay..." she yawned before continuing. "Come to bed..."

"You realize it's like, two in the afternoon, right?"

"Are you asking me if I realize it, or if I care? Because no."

"Oh, okay then." he placed the teleporter device next to his phone and went straight for the bed. Upon reaching it, Vicky pulled him over to her and wrapped her arms and one leg around him. "Still cold?"

"A little..."

"Good thing I'm here."

"Mm-hm..." she was already beginning to fall back asleep.

"I'm not really all that tired..."

"Then you can keep a silent vigil while I sleep."

Well, he wasn't going to complain about being able to cuddle with his girlfriend.

* * *

A/N: For those of you who were hoping for some content with... let's say citrus content, sorry. I prefer to write about things that I have a bit of experience with, and sex isn't one of them. Maybe one day I'll be a bit more comfortable reading (and writing) the more... salacious content, but not quite yet, this is only my first fic, after all. Second, I did rate the story as 'T' so... At any rate, feel free to review and tell me how disappointed you are for no lime, or lemon, or whatever, or tell me it was good, if you felt it was good.


	22. Chapter 22

Timmy awoke to find Vicky still wrapped around him, and still sleeping. He reached for his phone and was able to grab it with some effort. He looked again at the screen indicating his twenty-seven missed calls. "I'm really glad I never set up my voice mailbox..." he had meant to, but always ended up putting it off, despite his parents insisting he do it in case there was ever an emergency. He told them if there ever was, that they should just text him. He noticed that his phone indicated the time as ten-thirteen, a look at his window revealed it was dark out. "When did I fall asleep?" he began trying to untangle himself from Vicky's embrace. "Vicky? I gotta get up."

"Mmph..." evidently she was still much more asleep than he was.

"C'mon... I need to deal with my friends, we aren't gonna have any peace unless I do, Hell, even after I do, they still might bother us for a while... if they still wanna be friends that is..."

Vicky responded by tightening her grip on him.

"Hey, I'm supposed to be the clingy one in this relationship..."

Vicky huffed and released him, then wrapped herself tighter in the blanket.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

Vicky grumbled something unintelligible and turned to face away from him.

Timmy looked again at his phone. "It's late, but Chester should still be awake..." he dialed the number.

"Oh... uh... Hey man, what's up?"

"Just returning your calls."

Oh... right. I wanted to apologize for what I said, that wasn't cool man. We're supposed to be friends, I shouldn't let the fact that you're dating Vicky bother me."

"Oh... thanks... Wait, why are you suddenly okay with it now? It's only been like, eight hours."

"Well I _did_ kinda smoke a shit ton of pot... hey, do you know how to use a can opener? I could've sworn I knew how to earlier today..."

"Yeah..."

"I don't, I've been staring at this can of fruit for like, two hours and holding the can opener, and I can't figure out how to get them to work together and give me delicious fruit..."

"Does the can have a metal tab on the top?"

"No... oh! There's one on the bottom though..."

"Put your finger through the hole and pull it up, then pull off the cover, you don't need a can opener..."

"Hold on..." there was a sound of some light scuffling. "Got it! Thanks man, I thought I'd be here all night. Hey, you're really smart, you know that? I'm glad we're friends..."

"Yeah, me too Chester, maybe you should get some sleep... he heard the sound of someone loudly eating food on the other end of the line. "Alright, I'll talk to you later then..." Timmy hung up the phone and rubbed his forehead. "Stoners..."

"Just one more person to talk to then..." he contemplated calling Tootie, she had called more times than Chester or AJ, and he was going to have to explain himself at some point, better for it to be sooner rather than later. He dialed the number and the phone rang several times before going into voicemail.

_Hi! This is Tootie, I can't come to the phone right now, I'm likely busy trying to seduce Timmy, or being tortured by my sister Vicky, but hey, since no one ever calls me, this likely won't ever be heard! Leave a message after the beep! -BEEP-_

"Tootie, it's Timmy, you have friends now, so it might be a good idea to change that message, anyway, I'm just calling to talk to you about... well everything you found out earlier, and I noticed you tried calling..." he expected her to pick up by now, but she still hadn't. "Please get back to me when you can, alright?" he then hung up and put the phone back down on his dresser. Immediately after doing this, his phone began to ring and he answered it.

"So how long has this thing between you two been going on?"

"Oh hi Tootie, how are you? Good? Me too! Thanks for asking!"

"We're far beyond pleasantries at this point Timmy, I'm mad at you."

"I know... I didn't mean for you to find out about me and Vicky so... impersonally, I wanted to tell you when you got back, so we could sit down and talk about it, I certainly didn't expect or want Vicky to just tell you over the phone, but she grabbed my phone away from me and talked to you instead..."

"So this thing between you two... it's the real deal?"

"I don't know for sure, I've never been in a real relationship before, and to be honest, I don't think Vicky has either, I mean she told me there were boyfriends, but they didn't really last..."

"How long has it been going on?"

"Since right around the start of summer..."

"So not even that long?"

"I know, even though you've been trying to get me to notice you for years... you have every right to be mad at me..."

"Youre damn right I do! I always cared about you, worried about your safety when around Vicky, or when Francis was around, the avalanche you were caught in..."

"I don't know what I can say, apologizing isn't going to make anything better but, I am sorry, for what it's worth."

"...It's worth enough, I know you care, Timmy."

"So... we're still friends?" he asked hopefully.

"I'm not gonna let this get in the way of our friendship. Maybe someone else would, but not me, but you had better treat my sister good, or else I won't be so forgiving... and if she ever does something to you that might cause the two of you to break up, you better tell her that I still have my sights on you!"

He wasn't sure if the last part was a joke or not, but he laughed along with her as she did. "You're gonna have to talk to her eventually, she thinks you're pretty mad at her..."

"I _am_ still pretty mad at her... but you're right, I'll give her a call tomorrow, once I've cooled down a little more..."

"Okay, talk more tomorrow then?"

"Yeah alright, I love you Timmy."

"Huh?"

"Y'know as a friend..."

"That's a thing?"

"Kind... of?"

"Alright... then I guess I love you too?"

"I'll take it. Talk to you later." she hung up the phone, leaving a still somewhat dumbfounded Timmy holding the phone.

"Maybe she _is _crazy like Vicky, but they seem to have different forms of crazy..." despite this, he was happy that he made up with Tootie, at least to some extent. He checked his phone again, it was almost ten-thirty. "Might as well play some video games, doubt I'll be able to get to sleep anytime soon..." he sat down on the couch in his room and turned on the TV, then one of his game systems. Wanda poofed onto the couch next to him. "Cosmo sleeping?"

"Yep."

"So what's up?"

"Nothing much, just thought I'd check in with you. I was worried when I heard about your friends finding out about you and Vicky, how did that go?"

"Well, AJ seems to be pretty miffed about the whole thing, I don't really know why, Chester seemed cool with it, though when we talked, he was high out of his mind, so he may change his tune when he comes down from it."

"But you wished for that teleporter and then used it, you were only gone for a few minutes, dare I ask what happened with AJ?"

"If you're wondering if I killed him, don't, he's fine, aside from a broken nose."

"You broke his nose...?"

"Uh-huh, he shouldn't have talked about Vicky the way he did, I warned him, and he didn't listen, I can't go around making empty threats, I have to follow through."

"Aren't you worried about losing your friends?"

"Of course, but Vicky matters more to me, if they can't accept her, that's their problem."

"My next question would've been if you really love her, but I think you already answered that one... So... should I even ask what went on when you both left the room and were in the bathroom for so long?"

Timmy blushed at her question. "Ju-just a bath..."

"That lasted an hour and a half? Anything _else_ happen?"

"I... plead the fifth."

"I'm gonna take that response as a yes." Wanda pinched the bridge of her nose. "Are you at least... being 'safe'?"

"Are we really having this conversation?"

"Well if we consider the fact that your parents never will, yes, I feel it necessary to go down this road, I picked now because I'd rather not have to explain all this to Cosmo as well."

"There wasn't exactly time to go out and grab some contraceptives, it just sorta... happened..."

"Well if 'something' should happen again, make sure you use some form of contraception, I don't think you're ready to be a father at your age, do you?"

"Probably not..."

"Good, just making sure we understand each other..."

"Can we uh... move on to something less... awkward now?"

"Sure, how did Tootie take the news?"

"Not well, at least, not at first. She was pretty pissed at Vicky, and me, but after talking it over a bit... I think we'll be okay."

"So the only thing you really have to worry about is AJ and your parents."

"Let's be honest here, I only have to worry about AJ, and he won't be much of a problem once Tootie and Chester talk to him, though he'll probably hold a grudge for the whole broken nose thing. And as for my parents they probably don't give a damn, they're always too busy worrying about their own affairs to care about what I'm doing."

"Vicky rubbing off on you a little?"

"Maybe, but I like to think that the reverse is true as well, she is a whole hell of a lot nicer now than she used to be, at least to me."

"No, you're right, she was quite amicable to me when we were at the mall earlier, I think you are having that effect on her."

"Nothing wrong with that then."

"Long as you don't become too evil..."

"Hah. Hah. Very funny. I'm not gonna start babysitting kids and torturing them, don't worry."

"Good, glad to hear it. I'm gonna get some rest, you probably should too."

"I just slept for several hours, I don't think I'll be sleeping anytime soon."

"Goodnight anyway Timmy."

"'Night Wanda." she poofed herself back into the fishbowl and swam into the little castle.

"What was that all about?" Vicky vaulted into a lying down position on the couch.

"Stuff..."

"What kinda stuff?" Vicky yawned loudly.

"I believe old timers call it: the birds and the bees. Also we talked about my friends."

"Wanda's giving you sex advice?"

Timmy blushed at how direct she was. "Er... yeah."

"And you talked to your friends?"

"Yeah, I don't think there should be too much trouble in that regard, but you and Tootie need to make up."

"Ugh... I know, but she's gonna be pissed at me..."

"It'll be fine, I talked to her and she doesn't seem nearly as mad as she was earlier, also she says she'll try to steal me back if you drop your guard."

"She isn't getting her hands on you, not a chance, you're all mine." she wrapped her arms and the blanket she now seemed to favor around Timmy and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm really liking this new cuddlier Vicky."

Vicky blushed and tried to cover her face with the blanket. "Well times like this are the only time you're gonna see me like this, I have an image to keep up. One that's already in jeopardy because of your friends finding out about us..."

"Hey that was you, not me."

"Whatever..."

"Next time you're gonna do something like that, how about warning me first? This situation probably could've gone way better if we had told them when they got back, rather than over the phone..."

"Maybe, but Tootie had the idea in her head that she was gonna come after you again, who knows if she would even wait to come back, she might've started bombarding your phone with calls while still on vacation."

"Because turning her down hasn't worked in the past, right?"

"Fine. So I wasn't exactly thinking straight when she called, but me and Tootie try our best to be truthful with each other at all times, this was something she needed to know. Better to dash her hopes early than letting them blossom more..."

"Just warn me next time, please?"

"Fine. You could just get back at me by telling your parents about us."

"First of all, that would harm me too, if they didn't want us to be together, it wouldn't just be you having to stay away from me, I'd have to stay away from you as well. Second, I doubt they give a damn about me seeing you, like I told Wanda, they are much too concerned over their own affairs than they are with mine..."

Vicky could hear the sadness in his voice as he spoke. "So... you don't think they really care about you that much?"

"I don't really know, people always say that your parents are supposed to love you unconditionally, but we both know that isn't true, even with how mean you could be to me, you still took better care of me and were there for me far more often than my parents were..."

"I've had this idea now for about a week, would you... I mean... Hmm..."

"Yeah?"

"Would you be interested in... moving in with me?"

"At your house? Wouldn't your parents...?"

"No! Not at my parents' house! I was gonna get my own place... I mean, I'm not exactly scraping to get by..."

"So... you want me to move in with you? Like... live together?"

"Well, we are kinda doing that already..."

"Is this idea of yours... legal?"

"Has the issue of legality ever concerned me before?"

"Fair enough."

"So...?"

"I... need time to think about it, this is kinda..."

"Sudden? I know, take your time..." she rested her head back on his shoulder and got comfortable. "But not too long."

"Do you know where you plan on moving?"

"Not exactly... I was hoping somewhere closer to the city, maybe _in_ the city."

"It would have to be a good size place, we both have a lot of things..."

"I know that. I wasn't planning on getting a studio apartment. Maybe a loft or something..."

"That sounds... expensive..."

"I'm sure it will be..." Vicky yawned. "but... money is no object when it concerns us."

"I'm starting to think that meeting you really was the best thing to happen to me..."

"It was." she said matter of factly.

* * *

A/N: So it's kinda late, sorry about that, I had to help someone move last week. We're winding down to the end of this particular fan fic, I'm running low on ideas to continue it, to be honest, but I'm also getting kicked out of my house soon, which has given me an idea for my writing, so, silver linings I guess? If anyone wants to pitch me an idea for a chapter or a few, feel free, chances are high I'll use them, seeing as how I'm running low. Honestly I'm kinda sad to write this note, it feels like I can see the end coming for the story. As always, thanks to everyone for reviewing, it's the reviews that keep me going, well that and the fact that I can brighten someone's day with my writing, if only just a little.


	23. Chapter 23

Timmy still sat on the couch, he had lost track of time while playing his game, but the dark blue light flooding into his room from the window indicated it was now early morning. Vicky had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder hours earlier, he didn't even notice that she was asleep until he heard her softly snoring.

He still hadn't given much thought to what Vicky had said, not because he didn't want to think about it, but because he had become too distracted by his game to do so.

"This isn't how I expected my summer vacation to go... so much has happened so fast..." he rested his head against Vicky's.

She wrapped an arm around Timmy's waist in response. "...My...Twerp..." she was talking in her sleep.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm yours..." he kissed the top of her head.

"_I wish I could wake her up without it being my fault..."_

As if on cue, there was a loud crash from outside, it sounded like thunder, a few seconds after, he heard the familiar plinking of raindrops on the air conditioner. Vicky awoke with a start. "What the?! Oh... just-" she yawned. "just the rain... Did you hear anything about rain?"

"Hm? No, I would've remembered that, I didn't see anything on the news... must be one of those freak storms or something..."

"Huh, weird... It's not my birthday..." Vicky got up off the couch and grabbed her clothes. "Too bad, I was gonna wear this today." She held up a light green sundress. "Hmph, no point in wearing a sundress on a rainy day..."

"Why? You could always wear it around the house..."

"I need to head out today and scout out some apartments, see if there are any that fit my criteria. Have you made a decision yet?"

"Are-are you serious?"

"Not really. I know it's a big decision, so like I said, take your time. I've already made my peace in all this, I've been trying to work up the nerve to move out of my house for a while now, but I..."

"Hm?"

"I was afraid, of living alone. I don't mean to put pressure on you but... it would mean a lot to me if you moved in with me, I really don't want to live with my parents anymore."

"Well, as your boyfriend, I can't exactly turn you down, I want to live with you, I do. It's just... a big decision, that's all... Sometimes, I'm afraid this is all just a really good dream, and that I'll wake up to my boring life, you and I won't be together, Francis will still bully me, and I won't remember any of this..."

"Well... I can't exactly prove it isn't a dream..." she walked over and stood in front of Timmy, then pinched his cheek and tugged, hard.

"Ow! Alright!" she released his cheek.

"Unless this is one of those new dreams I've heard so little about where you can feel pain, I'd say that it's the real deal."

"Seems that way. Thanks for the confirmation..." he rubbed at his cheek.

"Anytime!" she gathered up her clothes and left the room.

"Cosmo? Wanda? What do you think I should do?"

The two fairies poofed out of the fishbowl. "Honey, you already know what to do, you wanna be with Vicky, and she wants to be with you, why are you asking us?"

"I don't know... just to get another opinion on all this? You guys are coming with us, right?"

"Of course! There's no rule about moving in the book. Are you worried about what your parents will think?"

"Kinda... It feels... weird, to just leave them behind... Like I'm... betraying them?"

"I don't think you should see it that way, they're almost never there for you, and dump you off on Vicky at almost every chance they get."

"So... you guys are supportive? Like one hundred percent?"

"Sure sounds like a yes."

"Cosmo?"

"I'm the wrong person to ask about this, Timmy. You ask me..." Cosmo stopped and thought for several seconds, smoke began to emanate from his ears. "I think you should go with her, love is hard to find, and Vicky is definitely a keeper." Cosmo's head burst into flames and he quickly floated over to the fishbowl and stuck his head into it.

"That's why Cosmo shouldn't think too hard."

"Hm..."

"What is it sport?"

"This is just gonna be another thing to explain to my friends..."

"That's how relationships are, they're not always easy, and you might have to explain them to friends and family."

"Yeah, alright thanks. Maybe you should tend to Cosmo..."

"Probably a good idea..." she poofed Cosmo and herself back into the fishbowl.

Vicky re-entered the room, her hair returned into it's characteristic ponytail and she wore her green t-shirt and black jeans.

"How are you feeling?"

"In regards to being sick? I'm fine, I think I was better last night after that nap, you?"

"I'm good, we must've had the same thing, that's why I didn't get sick after I recovered, and after we... uh... y'know." he blushed red at his own statement.

Vicky blushed slightly as well. "Well I'm gonna head out for a bit, you gonna stay here and give my offer some thought?"

"Yeah, I'll see you later today." Vicky walked over and planted a quick kiss on his lips. She moved to walk away, but he grabbed her hand.

"What?"

"Take a coat, I don't want you getting sick again."

"But Mom!" Vicky crossed her arms and stomped her foot, before pouting and looking away.

"Just take something to keep warm and dry..."

"I don't have anything, that sweatshirt was all I had, and it was pretty torn up after that fight with Ricky..."

"Huh... I wish you had a coat that you could wear... preferably one that will keep you dry in all this rain..."

A black coat reaching halfway down Vicky's thighs appeared on her, from what he could tell by looking at it, it seemed to be a fairly expensive brand coat. "Wow! Look at that Vicky! It's almost like my wishing for a coat made it happen!"

"Isn't this a little... selfish?"

"Me wishing for a coat so you stay dry is selfish? Sounds pretty _selfless _to me."

"Alright fine, thank you Timmy, and thank you Cosmo, Wanda." the goldfish winked at her. "If there's nothing else, I'll head out now."

"And don't ditch the coat! I don't care how nice the rain feels on your skin, I don't want you getting sick."

"Fine, no question you care about me... Well, I already knew that, so..."

"Take Wanda with you too."

"I really think I'm the last person who needs a babysitter..."

"I don't really care that we don't have any enemies, we made the decision that if we're going to be apart, then we each get a godparent, and Wanda seems to get along well with you, so I think you should take her with you."

Vicky sighed in exasperation. "Have you even asked Wanda if she wants to go with me? Doesn't she get a say?"

"Of course. Wanda? Do you mind going with Vicky?"

"_Please say no. Please say no. Please say no."_

"Well... Cosmo is stable-" Cosmo had a bandage wrapped around his head, leaving just his eyes exposed. "And I like being around Vicky, so sure! I'd love to get out of the house! Girls' day out!"

"_Damn."_

"Then it's settled, I'll stay here with Cosmo, you go out with Wanda."

"Now do I have your permission to leave?"

Timmy scratched his head in contemplation. "Yeah, I suppose."

"Good, don't forget to think more on what I said, and don't get all absorbed in video games."

"I'll try my best."

"I guess that's all I can ask." Wanda poofed herself into the form of a pink brooch on Vicky's coat, then Vicky left the room.

"I should've just gone with her, I've pretty much made up my mind, I'm gonna move out of here and in with her. Had I gone, I could've helped her pick out a good place..."

"Mmph phm." Cosmo's mouth was still bandaged, anything he said came out as unintelligible mumblings.

"Oh, right, maybe I could try getting another opinion..." he reached for his phone and dialed Chester's number.

"Urgh... hello?"

"Chester? It's Timmy."

"I know it's you, I don't know why you're calling me so early, it's not even seven yet..."

"Uh... sorry about that, I needed to get your opinion on something."

"Is this about your and Vicky's relationship? I already told you, it's kinda weird, but I'm behind you all the way."

"Thanks, but that's not what this is about, my..." _"Shit, I need a clever lie..." _"Let's say someone I know is thinking of moving in with the girl of his dreams, even though they've only been together for about a month, do you think he should just go ahead and do it? And stop living with his parents?"

"Uh... Do you know how close they are?"

"Pretty... pretty close, I'd say."

"Well... if he wants to, I say he should go with it, though it depends on his relationship with his parents and how they'd feel about it. If they're supportive of it, then he should go ahead and do it, if they aren't, but they are neglectful, y'know like yours kinda... no offense."

"None taken."

"Then I still think he should leave, no reason to live with people who don't love you, right?"

"I guess..."

"On the other hand, if they love him and don't support his decision to leave, then they may feel like it's a big betrayal. Sounds like your friend is in a tight situation..."

"How is it that you're so lucid this early in the morning?"

"Good point, I'm gonna go smoke, sorry if I couldn't get you the answers you were hoping for..."

"Nah, don't worry about it, I'll let my friend know, thanks."

"Alright dude, I'll talk to you later."

"Yep."

"_Good thing I called Chester, he'll never put the facts together and realize I was talking about myself."_

"Well, that's enough for me. Cosmo, I wish all my non-essential belongings were packed up." Cosmo raised his wand and it emitted the light that they had become so accustomed to. Several cardboard boxes appeared next to his bed as his entertainment center was emptied of the games and consoles, which then appeared in the boxes. Several items of clothing then went into the boxes, leaving just a few outfits for the next couple days. "Huh, always felt like I owned more stuff than that... Now we just need to wait for news from Vicky."

_Vicky's POV..._

Vicky drove her high-end, likely not street legal sports car through the soaked streets of Dimmsdale. "I really hope he isn't having second thoughts about this..."

"I wouldn't worry too much, he asked me and Cosmo while you were in the bathroom, and we both think it's a good idea, and so does he, I'm pretty sure he's already made up his mind, at least for the most part."

Vicky breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, I'm glad you two are cool with it."

"Why wouldn't we be? We're both of your godparents, and we're not about to try and break you two up."

"No, but I figured you would have a problem with us moving in together, especially since Timmy's a minor."

"Nope. You take far better care of Timmy than his parents ever have, so I really don't have a problem with you two being together."

"Oh... well alright then."

Vicky drove for several more minutes before stopping in front of a shabby looking building. "Ugh... _this_ is twenty-one Main street? It looks like a dump!"

"You ever heard the expression: 'Don't judge a book by its cover'?"

"This book is a dump."

"Keep an open mind."

"Fine, maybe it looks amazing on the inside, like the photo suggested."

It didn't, the floor was rotted and creaked, the apartment was tiny, and the walls and ceiling were stained with... something. "This is the apartment from the picture?" Vicky queried to the landlord, a short, fat, balding man covered in flop sweat.

"Oh yes, just the same. When will you move in?"

Vicky took another look at the photo she printed out, it looked nothing like the apartment they now stood in, it was far cleaner, and appeared to be a loft, like she had wanted. This apartment had no windows and was tiny, barely able to accommodate one person, nevermind two.

"I'll have to get back to you on that, there are other places I need to check out, but I'll let you know."

"This offer isn't going to be available for long, Miss. I suggest you reconsider..."

"I said I'll think about it." Vicky stared at the short little man with a deadly glare and saw his resolve break.

"Oh... okay then! Let me see you out!"

"I know the way." Vicky left the building and returned to her car. "Next... fifty-seven Plane street... Let's hope this one is truer to what the picture showed..."

Vicky arrived in a significantly nicer neighborhood, not white picket fences nice, but nicer than the last one she had arrived in. The building she was in front of was rather new, and significantly taller than the last.

"What do you think of this one?"

"Looks better than the last, though I wouldn't get your hopes up Vicky, there are apparently far more shady characters in Dimmsdale than I gave credit."

"Great, now you're becoming a cynic too."

Vicky closely examined the room, looking for anything that the landlord may have hidden when they took the picture. "Hm... no creaky floors, no unusual stains... What's the catch?" Vicky directed her question to the landlady, a middle aged woman with graying hair who was fairly thin, she seemed to have a holier-than-thou attitude.

"No catch, I assure you, what you see is what you get."

"Well... my boyfriend will have to come take a look, but I think he'll like it..."

"Fantastic! Let me just take down your name and you can give me a call when you want to take another look at it."

"My name is Vicky-"

Before Vicky had even managed to say her last name, she saw the woman's face pale considerably. "V-Vicky? You aren't ah... the same babysitter Vicky, are you?"

"I am. Is there a problem?"

"Um... I just remembered I received a call earlier today, someone in my family wants to rent this apartment, very sorry, but you know what they say, family comes first!"

"Oh... um... Thank you anyway, I'll see myself out." Vicky left the building and got into her car, it seemed that all those years of being evil were coming back to bite her. "I didn't expect that outcome..."

"Oh, cheer up. I'm sure you'll find a nice place for you and Timmy. How many more places do you have to check?"

"Just one, here's hoping third time's the charm, huh? We're heading to... six-hundred and sixty-six Perth street... That seem odd to you?"

"No, why?"

"Eh, probably nothing."

They arrived at yet another building, this one wasn't as tall as the last, but was thankfully still in the nicer part of the city. Upon entering this abode, Vicky realized this was the actual loft from the picture, the ad for this place didn't have a picture. "Top floor loft... I like it." she walked around the loft, again looking for any damage that the seller might have missed, but found nothing. "I know I'll regret this, but is there a catch? Something you aren't telling me? It's haunted right? Or the walls bleed every night at midnight? My name's Vicky by the way."

The landlady looked back at Vicky quizzically, she was a young woman, likely around the same age a Vicky, with blonde hair and wore an orange t-shirt with a dark green skirt ending just above her knees. "Nice to meet you Vicky, I'm Heather, and no, it isn't haunted, I'm just renting the space out, I own the whole building and just recently refurbished this loft." she sounded extremely bored.

"How much are you charging?"

"Make me an offer." Heather took out her phone and began typing into its keyboard.

"You know I always hate when people say that because they never really mean it- Five dollars!"

"Make me a realistic offer." Heather didn't bother to look up from her phone.

"Seven-fifty a month."

"Deal."

"Wha- Just like that?"

"Uh-huh. You seem alright, so sure, here's the keys."

"How can you afford this building, and to rent it out for so cheaply?"

"The building is part of my inheritance, and I charge the other tenants much,_ much_ more. So consider yourself lucky. Any questions? You can find me one floor down, I own the space below yours, try not to be too loud."

"Um... thanks. I really appreciate it."

"No problem."

Vicky returned to her car and sat for several seconds in stunned silence. "That went... better than expected..."


	24. Chapter 24

Vicky returned to Timmy's room and stripped off her coat, then threw it at Timmy. "I'm back! Good news, we have a place to live!"

Timmy pulled the coat off of himself and looked at Vicky with disbelief. "You- that was- You already found a place?!"

"Yep, I'm just that good."

"What did you do? Did you kill someone? Blackmail?"

"Nope. One hundred percent legal. The owner took an instant liking to me, all she asked is that we don't make to much noise."

"Wow. I... Well, I'm surprised, to say the least. How much?"

"Seven-fifty a month."

"So it can't be all that impressive then, huh?"

"Oh... I think you'll be surprised..."

"Really?" he didn't sound all that hopeful.

"Tomorrow you can get dressed and we'll go have a look at it."

Timmy had become lost in his world of video games and hadn't noticed the passage of time, it was now late afternoon. "I've uh... I've made a decision."

"In regards to moving in with me?"

"Yes. I'm coming with you."

"Really? You're sure?" Vicky was having trouble hiding the excitement in her voice.

"Positive. I already started packing and-" he was interrupted as Vicky threw herself at him and tackled him to the floor, then began fervently kissing him. After several minutes of this, and returned feelings on Timmy's part, they stopped, still breathing heavily. "So... I'm guessing you're happy then?"

Vicky smiled at him and rolled her eyes. "That should be obvious." Vicky looked over to the now empty entertainment center. "Where are all your games?"

"All packed up, most of my clothes too, in those boxes over there."

"Wow... you're more on the ball than I am, I haven't even begun to pack up my things... Let's see... I'll have to rent out a moving truck, all of our stuff is going to be tough to move without one..." Vicky trailed off, lost in her thoughts.

"I know, if only we had some sort of magical companions, like fairy godparents or something, so that we could wish our stuff over to the new place, without having to do any of that pesky heavy lifting, or renting out a moving truck... Oh well, a kid can dream, right?"

"Very funny, I told you already, I'm not used to having fairy godparents, you've had them for years, I've only had them for a week or two... Hell, the rules even say that adults aren't usually supposed to have fairies..."

"You must be a kid at heart."

"I don't know about that, kids don't partake in the... _activities_ we do."

"I think it's fair to say _most_ don't, but some do."

"Much as I love to go on and on about our sex life in front of Cosmo and Wanda, I think we should focus on the task at hand, when should we move?"

"I was thinking after I see it?"

"Ugh... you need to live in the moment more! Be spontaneous, it's fun!"

"I think you're spontaneous enough for the both of us."

"Meh, whatever, I have a feeling you'll love the place when you see it tomorrow."

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, though Vicky was considerably more energetic and excited than she normally was, the more Timmy saw of her like this, the more true his earlier statement seemed to be, she really was a kid at heart, but it was better not to bring it up too much, he liked to see her like this, and didn't want to jinx it.

_The next day..._

"Timmy, wake up!"

The voice startled him awake and he sat up, bringing his face crashing into something soft, namely Vicky's chest.

"Y'know Twerp, I'm not really sure who is more at fault here, me or you. I suppose technically it's me but..."

"Since we're already in this position..."

Vicky looked down at herself and remembered she was straddling Timmy. "There'll be time for that later! Get dressed, you _have_ to see this place!"

"Tease." he got up and grabbed some of his few remaining clothes and a towel. "Uh... care to join me?"

"No, that's my line, and I already told you to cool your jets, let's go see this place first, then if you're lucky... well, we'll see, won't we?"

Timmy left the room and headed to the bathroom, grumbling to himself all the while.

"This must be what they call the 'honeymoon phase'." Vicky took out her phone and dialed her new landlady's number, the phone rang for far longer than she was used to before finally being answered by a very sleepy sounding Heather.

"Hell- *yawn* Hello?"

"Heather? It's Vicky."

"Who? Ugh... it's way too early, do I owe you money or something? Did... did we have a one night stand?"

Vicky blushed at the question. "Um... no, you're renting the loft out to me? Six-sixty-six Perth street?"

"Hm... Oh, right! The red head! I remember now, you know how early it is?"

"It's... ten in the morning..."

"Too early for me... you need something?"

"I was just wondering if you would mind if I came over and showed the loft to my... brother... He'll be moving in with me and wanted to have a look at it."

"Oh God... yeah sure, head over in... about an hour, I should be awake by then."

"Thanks, I'll see you then."

Vicky heard light but steady breathing from the other end of the line.

"Heather?"

"Hm? I'm awake! Just... resting... my..." she trailed off and sounded like she fell asleep again.

"Hopefully she'll be awake when we get there..."

Timmy re-entered his room wearing his usual attire, though he wore a black t-shirt rather than his pink one.

"What's with the black shirt?"

"It's the only one I own, believe it or not. I found it in the closet when I was packing up my things."

"Too bad you couldn't find a black hat, unless you're trying to make a fashion statement, pink hat, blue jeans and a black shirt?"

"I can't help that I make this look good."

"You're cute, I'll give you that... and delusional."

"I'm flattered by the first comment and choose to ignore the second. You ready to go, or do you wanna critique my outfit more?"

"Fine, let's go. Ruin all my fun..."

Vicky moved to the door and felt the familiar resistance suggesting that Timmy had grabbed her hand again. "Wha-?"

"Coat." he pointed to the window, through which Vicky could see that it was still raining quite fiercely.

"Aw c'mon!"

"Nope, wear a coat, it's raining worse today than it was yesterday, I don't wanna take any chances."

"If I have to wear a coat, then you-" Vicky stopped when she realized Timmy already wore a coat, not as nice as hers, but good for the rain all the same. "Damnit."

"You were saying?"

"Just give me the frickin' coat..." Timmy handed her the coat and she put it on, after which Wanda appeared in brooch form on it again. Cosmo appeared on Timmy as a green backpack. Vicky looked at him for several seconds before a grin appeared on her face. "You trying to wear all the colors of the rainbow?"

"Wha? The coat's black and gray!"

"Yeah but everything else is... so colorful." she waved her hands around as she headed for the door.

Timmy and Vicky rushed for the car and got in, despite this, they were already drenched. "I probably should've wished for an umbrella or two..."

"In hindsight, that probably would've been a good idea..." Vicky took her hair tie out and shook her head back and forth, causing water droplets to spray around the car, several of which hit Timmy.

"Was that necessary?"

"I'm afraid it was." Vicky said haughtily, then began tying her hair back up.

"Um... would you mind keeping your hair down?"

Vicky stopped with her hands still in her hair. "Huh?"

"Well... I mean, if you don't mind me asking... I like your hair down, I know I mentioned that before..."

"You did, but I also said that I don't like to have it down in public..." she continued attempting to put ti up.

"C'mon... please?" he used his own variant of the sickeningly sweet tone that she normally used.

Vicky groaned in fake annoyance. "Fine." she released her hair and let it fall down, then aimed the hair tie between her fingers and shot it at Timmy like an elastic band, which he ducked. "Happy?"

"Very. You look really pretty with your hair down." he didn't blush this time, Vicky however, did.

"For the sake of avoiding questions, I told Heather that you and I are siblings, so watch yourself when she's around. I don't think she'll believe any excuses about us just being very affectionate with each other, and I want to seem like a normal person around her, she doesn't know me like most people around here do, so I have a chance at a fresh start with her."

"Are... are you trying to make friends?"

"Maybe..."

"Is she cute?" Timmy had a smile on his face, he was just joking around, he hoped Vicky realized this.

"She's... alright looking... wait why are you asking me? I don't..._ do_ girls..."

"I wasn't suggesting _that_... though now that you've put the idea in my head..."

"Slow your roll there, wherever your mind is headed, I don't wanna know."

"You said yourself that me thinking a guy is handsome doesn't necessarily mean I'm gay, I think the same should apply to you."

"How dare you use my own logic against me?!" she was only being fake-angry, all the time they spent together had left Timmy the ability to discern Vicky's 'fake' anger from her 'holy shit get behind something' anger.

"I learned from the best."

"Damn right you did."

"So...?"

"I told you, she's alright, she seemed kinda flaky though, like her mind was somewhere else... Oh wait, you wanna know how she looks, she's... blonde, and pretty... I suppose."

"Is this making you uncomfortable?"

"Wha- No! I'm fine! Look you'll see her soon, so you can judge for yourself, but if you have any ideas of cheating on me..."

"I wouldn't dream of it, I'm just messing with you, it's fun!"

"You might change your tune when _I'm _messing with you."

"Your tone makes it hard to tell if that's something I should fear, or look forward to."

"That's the idea." Vicky started her car and drove toward the loft in the city.

_Heather's POV..._

"Why do people hate it when I just want to get some sleep?" Heather dragged herself out of bed and put on some clothes she reserved for just hanging around the house. "Maybe if I'm lucky, they won't need to bother me for long and I can get back to sleep... probably not though, they'll probably ask me to help them move in or stay for dinner or something." Heather took out her phone and looked at it, the contacts list that had for so long been empty now had a single name on it: Vicky. "My first friend since... well, it's been awhile anyway." she couldn't remember how long ago herself. "Now look at me, standing around in an empty loft by myself, _talking_ to myself, I'm either a genius or..." her phone began to ring, it was her newest tenant. "Crazy, crazy, crazy."

_Return to Timmy and Vicky's POV..._

"C'mon... pick up the phone..."

"Hello?" a slightly less sleepy sounding Heather answered the phone.

"Hey it's me, Vicky. We're outside."

"I'll be right down..." she hung up the phone.

"Jeez, could she sound any more bored?"

"She's probably just tired, not everyone likes getting up early, I certainly don't."

They were startled by a sudden knock at the passenger side window. "Hey! Let's go! I'm getting soaked out here!" It was a sufficiently saturated Heather. She hadn't bothered to put on a coat or grab an umbrella, likely because she didn't own an umbrella. _"Good thing I didn't wear white..." _ her clothes were sticking to her from the rain.

"Why didn't you call us to tell us you were outside?"

Heather just shrugged her shoulders and led them up to the loft that Vicky rented, wringing her shirt as she did, and leaving wet footprints behind her.

"Well here we are. Vicky, you've already seen it, and you..." Heather looked at Timmy for several seconds. "I don't know you."

"This is my brother I told you about, Timmy. Since he'll be living with me, I figured he should have a look around."

"Oh? This is your brother huh?" she looked him up and down for several more seconds. "He's kinda cute!" she smirked at Timmy, causing him to blush. "Also, he's not your brother."

Vicky and Timmy both paled at her statement. "What? What do you mean? Of course he is..."

"No, he isn't. You two really don't look all that much alike, you even have wildly different eye colors, and hair colors. Matter of fact, I'd say it's more likely that he's your boyfriend."

"Ugh... it's always something. You don't know me like most people in Dimmsdale do, but you're ridiculously perceptive... Can you... y'know, keep this under your hat? It's kinda hard to explain why a twenty year old is dating a fourteen year old..."

Heather seemed to think on Vicky's words before giggling at them. "Don't worry about it, I'm not here to judge peoples' relationships."

Vicky and Timmy both breathed sighs of relief. "Thanks, I appreciate it."

"But! In return... I need a favor."

"Okay... well if it's within my power to do it, then I'd be happy to."

"_How do I word this to avoid sounding desperate? Ah, hell with it." _"Would you two wanna... hang out some time?"

"Wait. Of all the things you could ask, you wanna be friends?"

"Uh... well... yeah..."

"Sure! I thought you were gonna ask to sleep with my boyfriend or something!"

"What? No! No, of course not... Unless?"

There was deadly silence for a full minute before a smile came across Heather's face.

"Oh! You're cheeky aren't you?" Vicky began laughing and Heather joined in, putting her arm around Vicky's shoulder, then Vicky did the same to Heather.

Timmy looked at the two girls laughing hysterically in front of him, he was glad that Vicky found a friend with a similar attitude as hers, but couldn't help the words that escaped his lips. "What fresh Hell is this?"


	25. Chapter 25

"What's that Timmy?"

"Nothing, just thinking out loud. You were right Vicky, this place is awesome!"

"I told you you'd like it! It's nice and spacious, there's a great view, got our own room to use as the bedroom, there's only one bathroom, but it's good sized."

"Yeah, you really hit the jackpot with this one."

"Got Heather to thank for that, y'know, for letting us have the place."

"Oh no, don't worry about it. I'm just glad that someone moved in, and that I was able to meet some interesting people. That... doesn't make me sound desperate for friends, does it?"

"Are you?"

"No!...Kind of... When I moved out here after my dad died, I decided to start fresh, but I'm not very good at making friends, so I've been pretty much on my own since then."

"What about the other tenants?"

"Most of them are... seniors, they either don't remember me, or think I'm their granddaughter or something... And after a bad experience in my hometown with someone... I tend to be distrustful of people that I don't know."

"And Vicky?"

"I dunno really, I got a different feeling from her than I do from most people, you too, if I'm being honest. You both seem pretty nice."

"Vicky's only nice to people she likes." he winced reflexively expecting a light hit from Vicky, but it never came. When he looked at her questioningly, she looked at him, then spoke.

"What? You're right on the money. And she might as well find out now, rather than later. On the other hand, watch out for Timmy here, he can be a bit of a perv." Timmy blushed at her statement. "But he's also the biggest prude I know, so you don't have to worry, he still gets all flustered when I do something even mildly flirty. Watch." Vicky began to lift her shirt.

"V-Vicky?!" Timmy slapped his hand over his eyes, though Vicky had only lifted her shirt enough to expose her navel.

"See?"

"Wow... intimacy between you two must be really awkward..."

Timmy really wished he could just disappear, but such a thing might make Heather suspicious. Instead he settled for going over to the windows and watching the storm.

"I think I may have embarrassed him..."

"So, he seems to like it, when do you two wanna move in?"

"Um... probably today, or at least, we'll move most of our things in today, then move in tomorrow."

"You guys gonna need some help?"

"Probably, you have a car?"

"Got an SUV, should be good for moving."

"Great! You don't mind?"

"Glad to help, mind if I torture your boyfriend?"

"What are friends for?"

"I can hear you two!"

"It's not like it matters if you can hear us, even if you get away from me, with Heather here, it's like there's two of me!"

Again, Timmy's mind tried to rationalize whether this fact was a good thing, or a bad thing, it was having sufficient difficulty doing so. Heather wasn't quite like Vicky, she was far more subdued and didn't have the predatory look that Vicky had, but she certainly seemed to have a lot in common with her.

"Should I be worried? About you two teaming up, I mean."

"I would be, were I in your shoes."

"As much as I'd love to stay up here and continue this conversation, I'm gonna go get changed so you two can get your stuff over here." Heather left Timmy and Vicky alone in the apartment.

"So..." Vicky casually walked up to Timmy. "What do you think of our new landlady-slash-friend?"

"She seems nice... a little like you, but nice. I think the bigger question is, what do _you_ think of her?" Timmy had a smug grin on his face.

"What do you mean?" Vicky backed up slightly and had a pink dusting on her cheeks.

"Oh... I think you know what I mean..."

"Uh... no, no I don't. I think she's a nice person, she seems pretty cool..."

"And...?"

"And what? There's... nothing else..."

"Rather than play games all day, let me just spell it out for you. You like her."

"Well of course, she is nice, and we're already friends, don't you like your friends?"

"Oh I know you like her, the way any person likes their friends, what I'm saying is you _like_ her."

"Did I mention that you're delusional?"

"It sounds familiar, but I'm not imagining this. You don't take an instant liking to someone like that, especially you. So unless you have something else up your sleeve, I'd say you like-"

"Like who?" Heather stood in the doorway of the loft. She wore her outfit from the day before, orange t-shirt, olive green short skirt.

"My... sister! Timmy thinks we have a rocky relationship, but I do like her, I just don't get to spend time with her very often!" _"Shit! I need to remember to call her later..."_

"Okay... Well if you two are done talking about Vicky's sister, we should probably get going, I have a lot of sleep to catch up on when we finish."

"You wanna follow my car or...?"

"Nah, let's all ride together in mine, I doubt your sports car is good for moving anyway, and riding together will allow us a chance to bond."

"Alright then, lead the way." They followed Heather out and behind the building to a small parking lot.

"You can park here or out front, I don't really care." they all got into Heather's truck, Vicky in the front passenger seat, Timmy in the rear seat.

"I'll give you directions to Timmy's house as we go."

"Cool. So... how did you two meet?"

"I'm his... babysitter, we met when I was fourteen, and he was eight. I happen to live relatively close by."

"Oh, a cradle robber, eh?"

Vicky blushed red at this. "Wha?! No! We've only been together for about a month!"

"Relax, I'm just fucking with you! So why is he moving in with you? His parents dead or something?"

Timmy spoke up now. "No, they're fine, they just don't pay attention to me much, the whole reason I met Vicky was because they were too busy to take care of me, and I'm tired of it, so rather than put up with it, I'm moving out of there and in with Vicky, at least she loves me." there was an unmistakeable sadness in his voice.

"C'mon, I'm sure your parents care about you in their own way..."

"Trust me Heather, they don't. I've taken better care of Timmy than they ever have, and I..."

"You?"

"I wasn't the nicest babysitter when I was younger, let's leave it at that."

"What about you Heather? How were your parents?"

"My mother... I don't remember her much, she was in a car accident when I was young, her wounds were too grave for them to save her. My father... he was a writer, when my mother passed, he did his best to take care of me, more than most people would, even for their daughter. One day I came home and found him..." Heather trailed off and looked distant.

"I'm sorry..." Vicky put her hand on Heather's shoulder, which brought her out of her trance.

"Don't worry about it, I've had more than enough time to grieve." she rubbed at the corner of her left eye.

"So how were you able to acquire the building?"

"My father left me quite a bit."

"So inheritance?"

"Yep."

Vicky glanced behind her at Timmy and smirked at him, remembering all the times he used that excuse to explain away how he acquired so many things. After several more minutes of driving, and some directional corrections by Vicky, they arrived at Timmy's house.

"_This_ is where you live? Not bad, bigger than the house I lived in as a kid."

"My parents are well off, how else would they be able to go on vacation nearly every week?"

They all got out of the car and headed inside, except Heather who looked at the outside of the house for several seconds, then stopped and stood in the doorway.

Timmy glanced back at her as Vicky excitedly rushed upstairs, evidently wanting to move Timmy's things to the loft as soon as possible. "Are you a vampire? You can come in, I'm inviting you in. And you're gonna get soaked out there." The rain had not yet let up, and Timmy was beginning to wonder if he should un-wish it.

Heather walked in and shut the door behind her. "You never know, maybe I am a vampire." she flashed him a smile and followed Vicky upstairs.

"Under normal circumstances, the thought of two beautiful women in my room would be cause for celebration, but this could be bad..." Timmy stopped and thought for a few seconds. "Who the hell said that?" then ran upstairs.

He entered his room to find Heather looking at his fishbowl and Vicky looking over the bed. Seemingly trying to figure out how to take it apart so they could transport it.

"What kind of fish are these?" Heather looked over her shoulder at Timmy.

"Goldfish, the kind you see everywhere."

"That have green and pink eyes?"

"Do they? I never noticed, maybe they are a rare breed or something?"

"Hmph... yeah, that's probably it, could just be a genetic disorder for all we know." she left the fishbowl and looked at the various cardboard boxes. "This about everything?"

"Pretty much. There are a few bits of clothing I need to grab, but pretty much everything I own is in the boxes, except the bed, table, couch, and entertainment center."

"Hm... maybe we should've hired a moving van, I don't think all that will fit in my truck..."

"Eh, don't worry about it. Let's just take what will fit in your car, Twerp and I will take care of the rest."

"Twerp?"

"Ugh... I did it again, sorry Timmy."

"Don't worry about it, you said yourself that it's a term of endearment."

"I'll ask again, Twerp?"

"Vicky's pet name for me from back when she still babysat me, it's evolved from a derogatory name to... something else."

"Hm... you don't seem all that Twerpy..."

"I was much shorter than her when we first met, so it fit better back then."

"It's kinda cute, fits you rather well." she ruffled his hair, then walked toward the pile and grabbed a few boxes. "I'll bring these out to the car and open it up, you guys got the rest?"

"Yeah, Vicky and I will be down in a minute."

"'Kay, don't take too long, I need sleep." Heather left the room.

"She sure seems to like her sleep, huh?"

"Kinda like you, Vicky. While we're on the subject of what she likes, she sure seems to like _me_, huh?"

"You think so? I dunno, she's probably just being friendly."

"Oh, she's being friendly all right..."

"So?"

"It doesn't... bother you?"

"What? That she's trying to be friends with you? No, not really."

"I'd say she's being downright flirty with me."

"I'd say your over-thinking her actions."

"Maybe... eh, you're probably right."

The two stood in silence, Vicky fiddled with a lock of her hair. "Unless..." Vicky looked up at Timmy in response. "You _do_ like her!"

"Wha? This again? She's pretty nice, that's all. I don't..._ like_ her, not the way you're suggesting." despite her attempts at reassurance, both to Timmy and herself, she was blushing slightly.

"Then why are you blushing?"

"Because you've put me in an awkward situation!"

"No... other reason?"

"Just help me grab these boxes!" she heard him snickering as he helped grab the boxes.

The ride back to the loft was unusually quiet, so much so that Heather was the one to break the silence. "So, have you thought about what you're gonna tell Timmy's parents? Better yet, what you're gonna tell your parents, Vicky?"

"Well... my parents don't care too much about me, Timmy and I have neglectful, uncaring parents in common. I likely won't have to explain myself much to my parents, maybe not at all. My sister? That's a different story."

"I'm starting to see what drew you two together, I can't imagine what it would have been like if my parents didn't care about me... I'm sorry, it sounds like the two of you have been through a lot."

"Yeah, but we have each other, that lessens the pain..."

"As incredibly corny as my boyfriend sounds, he's right. We've talked a lot about our families, you've been great Timmy, thank you."

There were several moments of silence before Heather spoke. "Are... are you guys gonna like, start making out right here?" there were several more seconds of silence before all three car occupants started laughing.

"Oh... oh god, I'm glad we met, you're funny!"

"Hey, I try."

They arrived back at the building and brought the various boxes up to the loft.

"Alright you two, that looks like everything that we could grab, let me know when you wanna grab the other stuff, I'll see if I can get a moving van or something..."

"Oh, don't worry about it, you've done more than enough, I think we can handle the rest, although... I still have to grab some things from my house, so if you aren't busy tomorrow..."

"Long as you don't call me too early..."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." she watched Heather leave. "Shall we head back to your house then?"

"You sure you wanna leave your girlfriend here? We could bring her along, maybe have a sleepover? I could make pizza rolls? We could talk about boys."

"You're well on your way to getting your ass beat." Vicky wasn't enjoying this new, slightly bolder Timmy, it once again brought her off of her normal 'on top' position. "I. Don't. Like. Heather. Not like that anyway."

"The red on your face suggests otherwise..."

Vicky said nothing, opting to walk over to Timmy and flick him in the forehead instead. After which she walked out of the apartment, then looked over her shoulder, intending for him to follow her.


	26. Chapter 26

"You ever hear the expression, 'the silence is deafening'?"

They had been driving like this for several minutes, and had passed Timmy's house three times. It seemed that Vicky was lost in thought, and was hoping the driving would jog her memory, it didn't seem to be working though, so Timmy opted to ask her something, if only to break the silence.

"Has anyone ever told you you're annoying?"

"Many times actually, why do you think I'm annoying?"

"Because I think you may be right."

He waited for Vicky to elaborate, but it seemed she wasn't going to, and he had already guessed what it was she was referring to. This particular subject seemed to be rather delicate, so he wasn't going to bring it up any further. _"At least, not for now..."_

"So... you wanna spend one more night at my house, or do you wanna just wish the rest of the stuff over there?"

"Let's just wish the rest of your stuff over there, we'll sleep at the loft tonight and get my stuff tomorrow."

Upon arriving at Timmy's house, they went up stairs straightaway and told Cosmo and Wanda to come out.

"So today's the big day, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna miss this place..."

"Really?" Vicky had a look of surprise on her face.

"No." He smiled at her. "I may have a lot of memories here, but I have you three, and all my things, I think it'll be better to make new memories."

"Jeez, you say some of the cheesiest things..." she walked over to Timmy and pulled him into a warm embrace. "But that's why I love you."

"It's not my charming personality, or my devilish good looks?"

"Well, there's that too." she leaned in close to kiss him, but was interrupted by an 'ahem' from Wanda. "Oh, right. I wish the rest of Timmy's things were at our new apartment... and my suitcase."

With a wave of their wands, all of the remaining items in the room were whisked away, leaving just the fishbowl and a small gift-wrapped box where the bed had been. Cosmo and Wanda returned to their fish forms in the bowl, which Timmy then grabbed. "That box... your birthday present? Vicky, you still haven't opened that?"

"Well seeing as how Ricky decided to show up on my birthday and make attempts on both of our lives and we were kind of distracted by that, no. Then when all that calmed down... I misplaced it, guess it must've gotten knocked under the bed."

"You gonna open it?"

Vicky walked over to the box and picked it up, then turned it over in her hands a few times. "Later, I'll make sure not to misplace it again." she pocketed it and headed for the door. "Now we just need to head over to my house and get the rest of my things, I wish-"

"Why don't we just drive there? Last time you wished us somewhere, you forgot to wish the car with us, and your house is only a few blocks away."

Vicky groaned in annoyance. "But I'm lazy..." her annoyance quickly turned to childish whining.

"You can be lazy when we get back to the apartment."

"Fine..."

Several minutes later they arrived at Vicky's house and headed inside. "Timmy, go upstairs and wait for me in my room, I'm gonna call Tootie."

"Ah, alright then. Best of luck to you."

"Thanks, do me a favor and wish my furniture over there..."

"And the weapons?"

"Yeah those too, I'll have to figure out where I'm gonna keep them at the loft..." she trailed off and began scrolling through contacts in her phone.

Timmy left her in the kitchen and headed up to her room, as he approached her door, he couldn't help the feeling of foreboding that came over him. "I'll never get used to that... at least it's the last time I'll have to go in here." he entered the room and turned on the light switch, once again revealing the flippable walls of weapons. "I don't know about you guys, but this room makes me uncomfortable, especially without Vicky..."

Wanda looked around at the various weapons. "I can't imagine why..." she remarked sarcastically.

"Alright, I wish all of the heavy furniture and all the weapons were at the apartment." Cosmo and Wanda raised their wands and the specified items faded from existence, leaving only the more portable things, Vicky's computer, some clothing, and other personal effects. "My work here is done!"

_Meanwhile in the kitchen..._

"Ugh... c'mon Tootie, pick up..." Vicky had repeatedly tried dialing Tootie's number, yet she hadn't answered. "What the hell..."

"Hello?"

"Tootie! Finally, are you okay?"

"Fine, why?"

"I've been trying to reach you for a few minutes now... well, I've been meaning to call you all day, but I kept procrastinating..."

"Well, you have me now."

"Are you still... mad at me?"

"I'm not happy, but no, I'm not mad, not anymore."

"I'm sorry... I don't really know what else I can say..."

"Timmy already explained most of it, so don't worry."

"So you forgive me?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Tootie."

"Yes! I forgive you! I'm not gonna stay mad at you over something like this."

"Thanks Tootie, you're too good of a sister for someone like me..."

"Oh stop! You haven't had it easy, and yes, you've been cruel, but you're far from the worst person around, stop beating yourself up, it's getting kinda old, to be honest."

"Here we are again, the little sister giving advice to the older one..."

"Well, one of us has to be rational when the other isn't..."

"Heh, you got that right... Can I tell you something?"

"Go ahead."

"I'm... moving out, I've wanted to get my own place for awhile, and now I have enough money to do so."

"Why? Is this about me?"

"No! Of course not! It's more about...Mom and Dad... I want to live somewhere else, I found a nice place in the city..."

"But... what about me?" hearing the sadness in Tootie's voice caused Vicky to feel a pain not unlike a needle in her heart.

"I'll still come visit, and you can visit anytime you like, but I need to strike out on my own. You still have Mom and Dad, it won't be all that different..."

"But you won't be there anymore..." there was a pause that lasted a few moments before Tootie spoke again. "Can I..."

"Hm?"

"Can I come with you? Maybe move in with you?"

"Tootie come on, you know you can't, I don't have custody of you, and you're too young to move out anyway... Mom and Dad are almost certainly not going to go along with this either..." _"There's also the fact that Timmy is moving in with me..."_

"But..."

"Look... I'm not saying I have a problem with you living with me, but you'll need to talk to Mom and Dad about all that. I suggest not getting your hopes up though, you know how they are with you... and with me."

"So... there's a chance?"

"A ridiculously small one, but yes, I suppose so. How's Tibecuador by the way?"

"Hot, the thermometer hasn't dropped below ninety-five for the past week, and humid too, there was hope it would break when it rained, but it hasn't rained yet. How's home?"

"We've been hit with some freak storm, it's been raining heavily for the past couple days, I'm honestly surprised there haven't been any flood warnings, the rain hasn't let up at all. And... I'm making friends, for the first time, I have a real friend... granted she's the building owner but..."

"That's good! I'm happy for you! How did you convince her you aren't evil?"

"I'm not evil! Not to everyone... but anyway, she isn't from around here, I think she must've moved here within the last few years."

"Just messing with you Vicky. I know you aren't evil..."

"She seems pretty nice, she even gave me a great deal on the apartment and helped me move."

"You're- you're already moving out?" the pained voice was back again.

"Well... yeah, I know it's kinda sudden but... If I took too long, I was afraid I would've chickened out, so I'm doing things pretty fast. All that's left are some clothes and a few other things. Have Mom and Dad even mentioned me?"

"They- well, I mean-" Tootie sighed. "No. You knew that already..."

"Yeah... I guess I just... kinda hoped, y'know?"

"Yeah... I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault Tootie, it's just how they are. I've gotta finish moving, let me know how talking to them goes, okay?"

"Alright... I'll call you later..."

Vicky hung up and pocketed her phone. "Well that went much better than expected." She ascended the stairs and entered her room. "So, what's left-"

The room was nearly empty, save for another pile of cardboard boxes, much like the one that had been at Timmy's house, in the corner. Her bed and dressers were gone, as was her computer table, and all her weapon racks were empty. "Huh, nice job. Are those boxes all that's left?"

"Yep. You want me to put them in the car, or...?"

"Leave them for now, Heather offered to help us move so..."

"Ah, gotcha. You want an excuse to hang out with her more."

Vicky smiled at him, knowing he was just trying to get a rise out of her. "Hah, if I wanted to hang out with her more, for the reason I _know_ you're suggesting, I'd just call her up and invite her to dinner or something."

"What a great idea!" Timmy pulled out his phone and started scrolling through his contacts list, then pressed the call button.

"Very funny, I know you don't have her number."

"Unless I looked at your phone while you were going through it and took down a certain girl's number..."

Vicky paled at his statement. "Wha-What?! How did you-!"

"Shh, on the phone now, I can't concentrate when someone is talking to me on the phone, and someone else is talking to me as well."

"Urgh... hello?" a once again sleepy sounding Heather answered the phone.

"Heather? It's Timmy, Vicky's friend?"

"Boyfriend."

"Whatever."

"You woke me up..."

"It's seven in the evening."

There were several seconds of silence before Heather spoke again. "What's up?" she sounded less annoyed now, probably from her realization that she had slept most of the day away.

"I wanted to ask you..." Timmy looked at Vicky who was shaking her head back and forth. She had an almost pleading look on her face. Timmy's response was to smile evilly at her. "If you wanted to come over for dinner tonight."

"Oh... I don't know... I kinda had plans tonight..." she looked at her calender, it was blank save for the word 'sleep', which was written across the whole week. "Eh, what the hell, I can always do it another day, but isn't it kinda late for dinner already, and don't you guys have to move your stuff in and arrange it?"

"Don't worry about that, there shouldn't be much to move, and neither me nor Vicky have had the chance to get much to eat today, what about you?"

It was true that Heather hadn't gotten the chance to eat either, but that was because she slept most of the day, and when she wasn't sleeping, she was helping her new tenants move in. "I-" her stomach grumbled.

"I heard that."

"Then I guess I'll be over in about an hour."

"Great! See you soon!" he hung up the phone and looked at Vicky, who had an angry look on her face. "Oh don't look at me like that, you want her to come over as much as I do."

"You're a sadist, you know that?"

"Maybe so, but I'm also right, you won't deny that."

"Have you given any thought to all this? Like the fact that the loft is probably a disheveled mess? Or what we're gonna have for dinner?"

"Good thing I can cook then, huh?"

Wanda spoke up next. "And don't worry about the furniture, we placed it in a way that I think should be satisfactory."

"Are Cosmo and Wanda in on this scheme of yours too?!"

"No. This is just a lucky coincidence, right guys?"

"Yeah, what scheme are you referring to Vicky?"

"Nevermind, even if you did know, you likely wouldn't tell me anyway..."

"They really don't know, just me."

Vicky rubbed her forehead. "Well, I made up with Tootie while I was downstairs, so there's that. She wants to move in with us, thought you should know."

"And...?"

"That's it. I doubt my parents will allow her to move in with me, she's their princess after all."

"What about you?"

"Hm?"

"Do you want her to move in? Especially since we're dating? It could kinda be like rubbing it in her face. That's not even mentioning... well you know..."

"It's not like I plan on making out with you in front of her..."

"You'd rather have to walk on eggshells than not?"

"Do you have a problem with her living with us?"

"No, not at all, it just might make the whole 'relationship' thing difficult, if she wants to move in, and you want her to, I'm fine with it."

"_Damn. Really thought he'd be against it. Then I'd at least have some small excuse." _"Well she needs to figure things out with our parents first, it doesn't matter what we think if they don't allow it."

"Shall we head back to the apartment then?"

"Suppose so."

Timmy grabbed Cosmo and Wanda's fishbowl and followed Vicky out of the house and to her car.

Upon arriving at the building, they found Heather standing outside in the rain.

"Why are you out here? You and Vicky have the love of the rain in common too?"

"Nah, I like the rain, but when I woke up, my hair was a mess, so I came out here, now it's just wet."

"More like soaked, much like the rest of you."

"I don't always think my plans through, besides, a little rainwater never killed anyone."

"No, but it got them sick."

"Hm?"

"Vicky likes to stand in the rain." Vicky confirmed this by standing a few feet away and staring at the sky. "She told me to do the same a little while back, y'know try to experience it like she does, we both got sick."

"Was it worth it?"

"I'd say so. It's nice to see things from a different perspective, my mom told me that I shouldn't just stand in the rain, since I'd get sick, but I didn't mind that I got sick, long as I have her, I'm happy."

"As incredibly sappy as you saying that sounds, I gotta say, you really love her eh?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Only a little." she looked over at Vicky. "Yo! Let's get inside! I'm getting all pruny over here!"

This snapped Vicky out of her reverie and she walked over to Timmy and Heather. "So... sleep okay?"

"About as well as can be expected." she yawned and stretched. "Though I'm still pretty tired, to be honest. Were you guys able to move your stuff in?"

"Yeah, most of it, there's still some stuff at my house, if you're still offering your services?"

"Sure, no problem. So what's for dinner?"

"No idea, ask Master Chef over there, he hasn't told me anything."

"Sorry ladies, it's a surprise!"

Heather looked at Vicky. "I don't like the sound of that."

"My boyfriend assures me he is an excellent cook, though he has yet to demonstrate this fact..."

"I told you, I can cook, I just don't _like_ to cook."

"Well then I expect to be awed by your culinary expertise."

"Me too!"

"All I require is that you two stay out of the kitchen while I cook, a master chef needs to have his secrets."

"What are we supposed to do while we wait?"

"With a huge TV, multiple game systems, a library of games and movies, and the internet at your disposal? Gee, I can't think of anything... Sorry!"

Vicky and Heather spoke simultaneously. "Smartass."

Upon entering the apartment, all three looked around at the now furnished space.

"Wow, those movers must've been skilled and quiet, I didn't hear them at all and look at this!"

"Guess we uh... picked the right guys for the job..." even Timmy was surprised by the work his godparents had done, it was hard to believe the furniture was all theirs', and in fact, it wasn't, neither of them owned a refrigerator, or a washing machine, or a dryer, yet these were there as well. Though he wondered where they had put Vicky's bed. If it was in the bedroom... it might be a little crowded in there now. "Alright, you two keep yourselves busy." he winked at Vicky as he said this, causing her to blush. "I'm gonna get started cooking."

"What was the wink for?"

"That? It's nothing, he just thinks he's smart."

Timmy was thankful that the kitchen was in its own space, at least, for the most part, there was no door, but a wall separated it from the rest of the loft's openness. Now he was contemplating what to do, he could either cook for real, or just wish some delicious meal into existence, which would be easier than cooking. He walked over to the cupboards and opened them... to find that they were quite empty. "Makes sense, seeing as how we just moved in... Cosmo, Wanda, I'm gonna need some ingredients..."

_Back in the living room/main loft area..._

"So..."

"So?"

"How long have you lived here in Dimmsdale?"

"About... two years now, moved out here when I was eighteen, about a month after my dad died, I just needed to get away from everything, start fresh, y'know?"

"Why do you think I'm moving out of my parents house?"

"Bad relationship with them, right?"

"It goes a bit further than that, they were never too bad when I was growing up." _"And I'm not quite ready to talk about my dad with you..." _"But once my sister was born, it was like I ceased to exist, they literally seemed to forget I was around, and I lashed out because of it. At anyone who was nearby, my sister and Timmy got the worst of it, since I had to babysit them, well him far more than her."

"Couldn't be all that bad if he forgave you, and is now dating you?"

"He's not like most people, I can guarantee if you put anyone else in his shoes, they wouldn't forgive me, not after everything I did, he's one of a kind." Vicky seemed to drift off as she said this.

"Hm... I'm no expert, but I'd say what you two have is true love, or damn close to it. Then again, I can't really say, the only relationships I've had have been... let's say one sided, like the men were stalkers."

"You're... pretty forthcoming about all this..."

"I haven't had many friends, and I've never told this to anyone, you seem like a trustworthy person, so I'm trusting you by telling you this."

"And what happened to these... men?"

"Well _I _didn't kill them, but they are dead."

"But you didn't do it?"

"Nope."

"Probably for the best, I've done my fair share of... illegal acts. Though in the case of my problem, he was less stalker, more psychopath, and I _did_ kill him."

"Oh, so I've got a dangerous person living under my roof?"

"Only if you plan on hurting me or Timmy..."

"Hurt? Of course not. You guys are my friends, though something else may be on my mind..." she smirked at Vicky.

Vicky recognized the all too familiar sly smirk, mostly because it was one that Timmy occasionally flashed at her, and he had picked it up from her, now this new girl was doing it too. It seemed Timmy's concerns may have had some basis in fact, though perhaps not. Maybe she was just overly friendly because it was the way she thought she should act around friends, due to not having any of her own. At the same time, what exactly _did_ she have on her mind? "Dare I ask what you're suggesting?"

"Just-"

"Hey! You two like tomato sauce, or alfredo?"

"You just gave away what you're making!"

"Better that I give it away than come out here only to realize that someone is picky!"

"Either or." the two girls answered simultaneously again.

Timmy chuckled to himself and returned to the kitchen.

"Are you two hiding... something?"

"Like?"

"The two of you have been dancing around some issue for a little while now. Don't try to deny it, my dad was a writer, they tend to be good at reading people, I picked up a few tricks from him, it's how I knew you two were lying about being brother and sister, so spill it."

"I don't know if you'll like what you're about to hear..."

"You two aren't planning on killing me and taking over the apartment, are you?"

"No... that might actually be an easier conversation than this one..."

Vicky looked at Heather.

Heather looked at Vicky.

"Well now you have to spill the details, this sounds too interesting to let go!"

"Urgh... fine, so Timmy brought up the fact that you seem kinda... flirty with him at times..."

"He did? …Do I seem that way to you?"

"Well, I told him it was just his imagination, that you were just being friendly."

"Okay..."

"But he countered back that you _were_ being flirty and the only reason I didn't care must be that I like you... And before you suggest that I like you as a friend, he was suggesting the _other_ like, y'know, _that_ like."

"Ah, I see. He's pretty perceptive, huh?"

"Yeah, I suppose so- Wait, what?"

"I'm a writer's kid, remember? Granted I can't read you like a book, but there are subtle hints I picked up on."

"More like subtle hints you're imagining..." Vicky tried her best to hide the nervousness in her voice, it wasn't working.

"I suppose I'm imagining that wavering in your voice too?"

"Must be, I'm cool as a cucumber." her confidence was returning, barely.

"_We'll see about that..."_ Heather sprang forward at Vicky, pinning her to the floor, leaving their faces mere centimeters apart, a few locks of Heather's hair now hung down and lightly tickled Vicky's cheeks. "So, I suppose I must be imagining your quickening heartbeat, and reddening face as well?"

Ever the defiant one, Vicky spoke. "Now _that's_ really a case of the pot calling the kettle black." Vicky knew her face was red, something that, up until now, only Timmy could do. But Heather's was red too.

"Think your boyfriend would be mad at finding us like this?"

"Somehow I doubt it, I'm more concerned with him finding out he was right." she tried to wriggle out from under the blonde, but to no avail. "C'mon, you've had your fun, now get off."

"I'd say my fun is just getting started..." she lowered herself so that their noses were touching.

"Hey! Food's ready! Come and eat!"

The surprise was exactly what Vicky was hoping for. "Saved by the Twerp!" she rolled out from under Heather and stood up, then offered her hand, which Heather took gratefully.

* * *

A/N: So by now, a lot of you are maybe wondering: "Where is SaltyJak taking this?" In all honesty, no idea. Thanks to a certain reader of mine (grifisme) I have more ideas to torture these two with, in addition to my own. This would have been out earlier today, but I downloaded the newest episode of The Walking Dead game and I just had to play it, I kinda wished I hadn't now. **Spoilers ahead**: Hope nobody got too attached to Sarah, I'm honestly pretty tore up about it, but that's what you get for liking characters too much.


	27. Chapter 27

"Well, you can cook after all!"

"You doubted me?"

"A little, there was no evidence to back up your claims, but I see now I was wrong to doubt you, this was really nice, right Heather?"

"Yeah! Great job Timmy! I gotta ask though, where did you get all the things you needed? There wasn't any food here, you guys just moved in."

"I brought some in when we got here..." he was nervous now, he _did_ wish the food here after all.

"Hm... I must not have noticed it, I was pretty tired when you guys got here..."

Timmy breathed a sigh of relief. "So... what did you guys talk about? I noticed that the TV and computer were both off so..."

"Not much, girl talk." Vicky quickly interjected.

"Oh, really? Sounds boring." he knew she was hiding something, she spoke far too quickly. "So, Heather, still up for helping us get the rest of Vicky's things tomorrow?"

"Sure, and as a bonus, I'll get to see what Vicky's house looks like!"

"On another note, I wanted to ask, how many people would you allow to stay here?"

"Why? You got more people coming?"

"Eh, just one, and I'm not even sure, it's Vicky's sister after all."

"I was gonna bring it up, but it doesn't matter right now, my parents have to be okay with it, and since she's the little princess... well, I doubt they'd be keen on the idea."

"Well, let me know how that goes, I don't have a problem with it, long as she isn't too loud..."

"Don't worry about that, she's pretty reserved, most of the time..."

"Most of the time?"

Vicky spoke before Timmy could. "My sister Tootie has had a crush on him for years now, since they met really, she recently found out about... us."

"I assume she didn't take it well?"

"Not at first, she was pretty pissed, but... we've made up, on the condition that if I screw things up with him, she'll be on him like flies on... well, you know."

"She also told me to be nice to her sister."

"Sounds like you're both stuck in a pretty binding contract, good thing you're in love, eh?"

"She means well, but once she heard about me moving out... she suddenly decided that she wanted to move out too, and come with me..."

"And?"

"She wants to move here."

"And?"

"She doesn't know that Vicky and I live together." Vicky glared at him. "What? You wanna sit here all night and play some silly guessing games?"

"Well you all made up. What's the issue?"

"I'm just not sure how she'll take... all this..."

"Probably not well, and her being around you two all the time, especially when you want to get... intimate? Recipe for disaster."

"Which is why I want to ask you a maybe favor..."

"Maybe favor?"

"Since I don't know if she'll be able to move in with us or not, my parents have to be okay with it."

"Well... I suppose I can do you a favor..."

"If she does end up moving in here... I was wondering if you might..."

"You wanna ask me if it's okay if she lives with me."

"Kind of a big request..."

"That's an understatement. I'm not opposed to the idea, but I'd wanna meet her first. My place is about the same as this one in terms of size, but most of it is unused, I don't have a lot of things..."

"So you don't mind? You're really okay with it? I mean, assuming it even goes down. You would be willing to let my sister move in here, with you?"

"Sure, there's plenty of room, and I'm not using it."

"Well, if it does go down, I'll be in your debt, I really appreciate this, I don't know how I can repay you..."

"I'll think of something..." that sly smile was back on Heather's face. Vicky didn't like the sound of that.

"Ladies, if you'll hand me your dishes, I'll take care of them."

"Such a gentleman!" Heather handed her plate to Timmy.

Vicky handed hers to Timmy as well, as he went to take it, she held on to it and gave him a pleading look, one that said: "Don't leave me here!" he saw this, but only winked at her and took her plate. _"Damn."_

Timmy snickered to himself as he washed the dishes, he prided himself on being able to pull the more shy Vicky out of the hard shell she wore, now it seemed someone else was learning to do this. He wasn't bothered much, it was kind of funny to watch, Vicky hadn't been flustered in what seemed like quite a while. "God damnit, maybe I am a perv..." his mind was filled with thoughts of Vicky and Heather, somewhat confirming his statement. He slammed his head down on the counter to clear his thoughts.

"You okay in there?"

"I'm fine Vicky... just slipped!" he heard footsteps quickly approaching from the main loft area. "I told you, I'm fine..."

"I'm not in here to check up on you! I needed to get away from her!" she was whispering.

"Why?" now, Timmy was too.

"She's out there putting the moves on me! How about that?"

"You sure you aren't exaggerating a bit? Y'know, like you thought I was when I said she was flirty with me?"

"Alright fine! You made your point, apparently she's playing both of us then. Because while you were making dinner, she was pinning me to the floor!"

"Figures that whenever anything interesting happens, I happen to miss it!"

"Perv."

"I won't deny it."

"So what are we gonna do about it?"

"Whaddya mean?"

"I mean how do we get rid of her?"

"Get rid of her? That seems kind of extreme, don't ya think?"

"She's trying to break us up!"

"Now there I have to disagree, there are easier ways to go about breaking people up than what she's doing..."

"But-"

"Say for arguments sake that she is indeed trying to flirt with us, and it isn't a strange way to show friendship like we thought, first of all, she's the owner of the building, and she gave us a great deal, _and_ she has helped us a few times, this isn't even mentioning that she has been far more friendly than any of the friends either of us have had."

"Alright..."

"Second, much as you hate to have it brought up, you don't really have any friends, and this girl genuinely wants to be your friend, nevermind for the moment that she may want to sleep with you."

"Wha-?!"

"Third, if Tootie does end up moving here, Heather offered to let her move in with her, how many people do you know that would actually be willing to help out as much as she does?"

"Not many, I guess... Aren't you... bothered by her... forwardness?"

"So she likes you, big deal. You can't help that you're really attractive, and you haven't been mean to her like you would with most other people, so you must like her to some extent, right?"

"Damn, I hate it when you're right..."

"You're not going to leave me for her, are you?"

"What? No! Don't be ridiculous! I love you, I don't... love her, I'm just... confused about what I feel for her..."

"Man, we have a fucked up relationship, huh?"

"I wouldn't go that far... just more open than some... but! That doesn't mean you can go around sleeping with anyone you want!"

"I... hadn't really planned on it."

"Good! Me... me neither..."

"...So is she a good kisser?"

"We're NOT having this conversation."

"Sure sounds like we are..."

"She didn't kiss me! You interrupted her when you said dinner was ready."

"Ah, poor timing on my part..."

"Would you stop?!" she shoved his shoulder with her hand, but was smiling now, she seemed to be calming down.

"And now it makes sense why the TV and computer weren't turned on out there... something else was turned on apparently..."

"Seriously, shut up."

"You think you like her because she's kind of like a blonde version of you?"

"That makes me sound like a narcissist..."

"Before we got together, that was a fairly accurate description, no offense."

"You don't wanna live long, do you?"

"I think our relationship should be built on honesty, sometimes honesty has to be of the brutal variety, you would prefer I lie to you?"

"...No..."

"Alright then. Now, either help me in here, or keep our guest entertained..." he thought about what he said and was reminded of something Wanda had said to him. "But not too entertained."

"Pfft. You can't hide that you'd like that!"

"Once again, I plead the fifth."

Vicky waved at Timmy dismissively as she left the kitchen.

"She _better_ not try to steal my girlfriend..." talking to Vicky had brought doubt into his mind, what if she was right? What if this girl _was_ trying to split them up? "Well... it doesn't matter, we both know about it now, if she is trying that, it won't work... hopefully."

He finished cleaning the dishes and put them in the dishwasher, then headed into the living room. "So what do you guys-"

He was interrupted by a pillow colliding with his face. The pillow fell away into his hands and he glared at Vicky.

"What? She's trying to sleep!" she was whispering again.

He looked over at the space next to where Vicky sat to see Heather sleeping rather peacefully. "Shouldn't be surprised, we did wake her up a few times today, and she helped us move, but this girl sure does sleep a lot, what does she have, narcolepsy?" 

"She didn't tell me. What should we do? I'd rather not wake her up..."

"We could go in the bedroom."

"There's no TV in there..."

"I can think of something..." he smirked at Vicky.

"Nope. Sorry, no sex for you, punishment for being an ass today."

"Wha? Sex?!" He blushed red. "I was gonna suggest bringing the computer in the room and looking at funny pictures of cats... Not _that._ What do you think? Because I'm male I must think of sex all the time?"

"Yes."

"Well I don't. More like... twenty-five percent of my thoughts."

"What was the sly smirk for?"

"I can't smile at my girlfriend?"

Vicky scooped up her laptop and headed for the bedroom. "I don't feel like getting into a debate right now, c'mon."

He followed her into the bedroom to find it wasn't as cramped as he thought it would be, though both beds were in the room. Vicky's assortment of weapons were hung on a wall at the far side of the room, thought they were no longer hidden, he might have to wish for a flippable wall like Vicky had in her room... "Well, I'd suggest we push the beds together but..."

Vicky sighed loudly. "I wish my bed was back at my house." the bed disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"You sure?"

"Your bed is more comfortable anyway, though that may be because you're in it... Where are Cosmo and Wanda?"

"Ah, I left them in the kitchen, I'll go get them." Timmy left the bedroom and his eyes fell on Heather's sleeping form. "Hmm..." he walked over and stood in front of her then leaned down. "Reminds me of when I found Vicky asleep..." he snapped his fingers in front of her face several times, but she did not wake up. "Heavy sleeper... Cosmo, Wanda!"

"What's up, sport?" Wanda whispered, just in case.

"I figured you guys could use an upgrade, since I got one where I live. I wish you had a big aquarium." a large fish tank appeared in front of the couch, an empty fish tank. "I kinda figured you would want to put water, gravel, fish things?"

"Oh, right..." the tank filled with water, then gravel, then the little castle that was previously in the fishbowl appeared.

"That it?"

Cosmo appeared and waved his own wand, causing a goldfish sized flat screen to appear, along with a couch. He then appeared in the tank on the couch in fish form with a remote.

"Not exactly what I meant..."

"Why the sudden change Timmy? You always kept us in your room before... Are you mad at us?"

"No, nothing like that... It's just... well, I might want... _privacy_ now and then? But I want you guys to have more room to swim around and stuff."

"Oh... alright. I see where you're coming from... Just make sure you're both _safe_." she quickly poofed herself into the fishbowl and swam into the castle.

"Yeah, I'll remember... Jeez, all everyone around here thinks about is sex..."

Heather mumbled something unintelligible in her sleep.

"Your case is still pending, I haven't had enough time to figure you out yet."

He returned to the bedroom and found Vicky in her sleepwear. "You sure do have a lot of green tank tops and black shorts..."

"Says the guy who has a wardrobe consisting almost entirely of pink hats, pink shirts, and blue jeans."

"Fair enough." he kicked off his shoes and laid down next to Vicky. "You want me to send Heather home?"

"Eh... nah, she should be fine out there, that couch is pretty comfortable."

"But are _you_ comfortable with her being here? After what happened between you two?"

"It... should be fine. I don't expect her to wake up 'til tomorrow, and it's not like I'm scared of her, she just caught me off guard..."

Timmy turned over to lie on his back. "Wish I could get caught off guard like that more often..."

Vicky took the opportunity to pounce on top of him and lean in close so their foreheads were touching. "I don't need Cosmo and Wanda to catch you off guard..."

Timmy blushed slightly at their sudden closeness. "No, I suppose you don't..."

Vicky's phone rang as she began to close the distance between them. "Gah! Every frickin' time!"

"Maybe you should do what most people do when they don't wish to be bothered: turn your phone off."

"Yeah, but what if there's an emergency? I have to keep it on just in case..."

"Then get used to being interrupted."

"Hello?"

"Vicky, it's me."

"Tootie? Isn't it kinda late? What's up?"

"I talked to mom and dad."

"Okay...?"

"Dad... wants to talk to you..."

"You think maybe I don't want to talk to either of them? I'm just Vincent or some other to them."

"Please? It's important."

"Fine. No promises on how nice I'll be to him though."

"Vicky?"

Vicky froze at hearing her own name, especially from her father. "D-Dad?"

"Hey... um... how-how are you doing?"

"Fine. How's mom?"

"Oh, good, she's good... So you... you moved out huh?"

"I did, figured it was about time for it." she was dong her best to remain uncaring, she wouldn't let her feelings out now, not after all she had been through.

"And Tootie tells us she wants to move in with you..."

"Yep."

"Ah... if you promise to take care of her... Dammit! I'm not doing this! Vicky why can't you just come home?! I know your mother and I haven't been the best parents around, but we haven't been that bad!"

"Stop. You have no right to say that! As soon as Tootie was born, I was forgotten! By both of you! And before that, you... the things you did to mom... and to me..."

"Vicky I... I did terrible things, but I was... t wasn't me when I drank, I lost myself..."

"Yeah you did, had you tried to apologize years ago, I _might_ have forgiven you. But it's been fourteen years! _Fourteen_! All those years you both barely raised me! Barely acknowledged me! Do you have any idea what that does to a child?! Do you even care?!"

"I-"

"You don't! For awhile I blamed Tootie, thought it was her fault that I was abandoned, but I was wrong, it was _you and mom_. You had plenty of chances to love me, but you didn't! Maybe you never cared about me..." the emotions came pouring out now, the floodgate she had so carefully built up was breached and came tumbling down.

"Vicky that isn't true! Your mother and I-"

"I'm not finished! You're going to listen to what I have to say to the end! I know what you were like at my age, you were a babysitter too. You made kids' lives miserable, right? Well so did I! It was only recently that I figured out that you won't define the person I am! No matter how closely I may have followed in your footsteps, I refuse to be like you! What would happen if you had another kid? Would you have abandoned Tootie the way you abandoned me?!"

"Vicky! I am your father! You will show me some respect!"

"No. I won't, as far as I'm concerned, I have no father. A father wouldn't have done what you did, a father wouldn't have hit his child in a drunken stupor, a father wouldn't abandon his own daughter! I'm surprised you even remember my name... or did Tootie have to tell you?"

"Wha? Of course not! Don't be ridiculous!" his voice wavered as he spoke, and Vicky knew the truth.

"I should've known from the start..."

"Look, whatever you may think of your mother and I, we love you and Tootie..."

"You might love Tootie, but save your breath, mom may have loved me once, but you never did."

"Tootie is threatening to go to court and become an emancipated minor, some loophole she found... I want to ask that you take care of her since she is so adamant about going to live with you."

"I'll take care of her, do a far better job than you could ever hope to."

"That's all I can ask... Do you want to talk to your mother?"

"No, but I will..."

"Vicky? Is everything alright? Your father seemed upset..."

"He should be... Why did you stay with him? All those years, the drinking, the beatings... Why?"

"If I hadn't, we wouldn't have Tootie..."

"But you couldn't have known she would be born, why did you stay with him?"

"I-I didn't know what else to do... he brought in most of the money, if I left him, we would've been out on the street... I couldn't do that to you... I thought I was protecting you."

"Then what about when Tootie was born? I was quickly tossed aside, like you never cared at all, what about that?!"

"I don't know what to say... I can't expect you to forgive me, I've been an awful mother..."

"At least you were there for me, if only at first. He can't claim that..."

"You won't forgive him?"

"No, I won't. Not ever."

"You'll take care of Tootie?"

"You don't trust me with my own sister?"

"I didn't mean it like that. I know you care about her..."

"Mom... you can always come visit her, whenever you want, and me."

"What about-"

"No, if he shows up here, I'll call the cops on him, and trust me, I know people who know how to hurt."

"Vicky, I know this probably doesn't mean much to you now but... You're my daughter, I know I could've done better, and I think I'll regret not having done better for the rest of my life, but... I love you."

It was more than she expected to hear from her mother, after everything that happened, she thought her mother was just like _him_. But Vick had never told her he loved her, not once. Vicky felt her eyes begin to water. "I love you too, mom."

"Oh, Tootie wants to speak to you... I'll talk to you later." she could tell from her mother's voice that she was crying, but what did she expect? She was tearing her own family apart.

"Vicky? Is everything alright?"

Vicky sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I don't think so Tootie. But I guess you're coming to live with me, huh?"

"Yeah! I'm actually leaving... tomorrow. I've got a pretty bad sunburn, so I think it's for the best, and mom and dad need some time to themselves, I think."

"That was pretty clever, the whole 'emancipated minor' thing..."

"I learned from the best."

"Heh. I taught you well..."

"So you think you can pick me up from the airport tomorrow then?"

"I'll be there, we... have some things to discuss..."

"Like what?"

"I'll tell you when you get here, I don't want you losing sleep over some silly technicalities."

"Okay... I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Count on it." she hung up the phone and turned it off. Then walked over to the bed and sat down next to Timmy. She felt him wrap his arm around her waist and pull her next to him, then rested her head on his shoulder.

"You look like you need a hug, and you're crying..."

"I'll be fine... I didn't expect to talk to my father or my mother, for that matter."

"Nice to get those feelings off your chest, huh?"

"Yeah, I can't imagine how your parents are going to take the news, if mine were like that."

"I told you, they probably won't even care."

"Hm... maybe."

"But... that's what I'm afraid of too..."

"Hm?"

"I don't want to worry you, you've had a shitty enough day, don't mind me."

"Tell me."

Timmy sighed. "With you, your parents got mad at you, anger may not be what you want from them, but it's still something. My parents... they've dumped me off on you so many times, what if it's because they don't care? What if when I tell them that I'm moving out, they don't care at all? No emotions, or just that facade they put on when I talk to them?"

It was Vicky's turn to hug Timmy, she wrapped both arms around him and put rested her chin on top of his head. "They wouldn't do that..."

"And if they do?"

"If they do... you have me, and Tootie... and maybe Heather?"

"I don't know if I'd count her as a part of our dysfunctional family yet..."

"We should probably get some sleep, seems like we'll have a big day tomorrow, I have to grab the rest of my things from my house, and then... we have to pick up Tootie at the airport."

"What now?"

"Tootie was able to convince my parents to let her live with me, she threatened to become an emancipated minor if they didn't allow it."

"Wonder where she learned to be so devious..."

"I... may have influenced her a bit growing up."

"So she's gonna live here?"

"Yep, starting later on tomorrow."

"You know we have to get her things from your house too now?"

"Ah, right... shit. That's gonna be a pain..."

"Well, let's worry about it tomorrow."

"Good call."

Timmy crawled across the bed and under the comforter, then lifted it for Vicky to crawl in. "Good thing Cosmo and Wanda installed the air conditioner, it'd be kinda hot under the covers otherwise."

"Great, so I get to be cold when I get out of the shower here too?"

"Well, not as long as I'm here, not to mention I brought your favorite blanket, you should be plenty warm."

Vicky responded by rubbing her nose against his.

"Eskimo kisses? It's not that cold..."

_Some time later..._

Vicky wasn't sure when she fell asleep, but she was awoken by the bedroom door opening, rather than question who it was, since she had a feeling she knew, she feigned being asleep. She still felt tired, but was jolted near fully awake when the person who came into the room settled themselves behind Vicky on the bed and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Hmm... much more comfy than the couch..."

Vicky rolled her eyes at no one in particular. "What the hell..."


	28. Chapter 28

Vicky awoke with a start, she expected to still feel Heather's arm around her waist, but didn't, instead she woke up to Timmy's blue eyes.

"You okay?"

"Yeah... fine. Where's Heather?"

"Um... in the kitchen, she offered to make breakfast for us."

"Was she in here when you woke up? Wait why were you awake when I woke up?"

"I woke up before you, there's nothing wrong with me watching you sleep, is there?"

"Oh... no it's fine..." _"__Kinda sweet actually..."_

"She wasn't in here when I woke up, but she was in here, I know that."

"How?"

"Neither of us have blonde hair?" he reached behind Vicky and pulled some strands of blonde hair off the pillow.

"She came in during the night, after we fell asleep, she muttered something about the bed being more comfortable than the couch and laid down, then wrapped her arm around my waist, y'know, like you do?"

"How do I always miss out on this awesome stuff that happens?!"

"Must be bad luck."

"Whatever it is, it seems that Heather has taken quite a liking to you."

"Perfect..."

"Could be worse, imagine if someone like Francis had a crush on me."

"Ugh... don't even... I might actually throw up from the mental image."

"See? Look on the bright side."

"Yo! Breakfast is ready! I'm not serving you in bed!"

"Y'know, she isn't trying to molest you or anything like that, she's just... forward with her affections... kinda like Tootie, except Tootie isn't so good at hiding how she feels, to be fair, I haven't seen anything to suggest that Heather feels the way you say she feels."

Vicky deadpanned at Timmy.

"I didn't say you weren't telling the truth, I merely said that I hadn't seen anything that might show Heather's feelings. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence... I forget who said that..."

"What?"

"What I'm saying is: I don't doubt what you say, but she isn't really hurting anyone, and to be fair, you don't even seem to mind all that much."

"Guys? I can eat all this by myself..."

"We're coming!"

"Too much information!"

"Wha? Oh! Not like that!"

"Couldn't resist! Now get out here! Food's getting cold!"

"Shall we?"

"You first, I'm gonna fix my hair." her hair didn't look too bad, and she never cared how she looked before... "Don't give me that look. I don't care how I look in front of _you_." she poked him in the chest for emphasis. "But in front of everyone else? I prefer to look put together."

"Alright, I'll see you out there." he gave her a quick peck on the lips and left the room, shutting the door behind him. He was greeted by a table full of eggs, bacon, waffles, and several other foods. "Heather... you didn't have to..."

"Oh, don't worry about it. You two sleep okay?"

"Yeah, took me a little while to get to sleep, I've always had a hard time getting to sleep in a new place, but I got to sleep eventually, once I did, I slept like a rock. How about you?"

"Oh, I slept great! But I was pretty tired yesterday, so I'm not surprised I was out so quickly."

"You didn't happen to sleep so good because you slipped into our room during the night, did ya?"

Heather smirked at Timmy. "Maybe..."

"Vicky told me; not to put you on the spot, but what's your angle?"

"Angle?"

"You've flirted with both of us, though slightly more with Vicky, so I'm just wondering, what's your deal?"

"I don't know what you mean, I'm just glad to have you both as friends."

"It's too early for me to get into it right now but, just don't push her too much, she's in a delicate place right now... also she's my girlfriend so..."

"Are you possessive of her?"

"Probably not as much as I should be, considering whatever it is you're trying to do, I just don't want her getting hurt. Your... advances might not be the best thing right now..."

"Hm... I'll keep that in mind."

"Thanks."

Vicky emerged from the bedroom fully clothed with her hair in a ponytail. "Whoa, what's with all the food?"

"I went to my place and brought up some things, I figured I kinda owed you guys for letting me sleep here after I passed out." Heather rubbed the back of her head and looked down, hoping to hide the blush on her cheeks.

"You're welcome to stay anytime you want, we're friends, and you've helped us out far more than necessary. But if you're gonna sleep in our room, knock first, I wouldn't want you walking in on Timmy and I..."

"Message received. Well... whenever you guys are ready, let me know, sounds like it'll be a busy day... and I get to meet your sister!" Heather nearly squealed with delight, then walked over and began playing one of Timmy's games.

Timmy looked at Vicky. "You don't think she'll...?"

"God, I hope not, not the best first impression, y'know? 'Hey Tootie, this is our landlady, she wants to fuck you.' Might come off as a bit strange."

Timmy coughed to try and cover up what Vicky had said, but it seemed Heather was too absorbed in her gaming to notice the conversation. "Keep it down! Anyway, I talked to her, she should calm down a bit with her advances toward you."

"I thought you didn't care about what she was doing?"

"Only if you don't, but right now I think you need some space. That conversation with your parents was pretty heated, so if you need some space from me too, just say so."

Vicky stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Timmy. "I would never push you away. But thanks... I don't suppose you were able to figure her out at all?"

"Not really, she tends to be pretty evasive when I ask her about it, but I don't think she wants to break us up, I think she just wants something like what we have, but without hurting us."

"Well, you being okay with her flirting with me is only encouraging her... and I don't know anyone who might want to date her..."

"Even if you did, she seems to be interested in _you_ specifically, she hasn't even flirted with me since the last time."

"You haven't really been around her, it's been mostly me."

"So what? You want me to act as bait to prove a point?"

"No! Of course not! …Unless?"

"I'll think about it. For now, let's eat."

_About an hour later..._

Timmy, Vicky, and Heather arrived at the airport and looked around for Tootie. "Did she say she would be arriving in the morning?"

"Well... yeah, of course she did!" Vicky realized that they may have come far too early, Tootie was leaving today, but she didn't tell Vicky when.

"Anything we can use to identify her? I don't know what she looks like."

"Um... black hair in pigtails, glasses, kind of... nerdy looking..."

"Tootie has violet eyes."

"How do you know?"

"I could say because I have a way of noticing things, but as you know, she likes to try to kiss me a lot, I'm intimately familiar with her eye color." he noticed Heather grinning at him. "What?"

"Sounds like you're a real charmer with the ladies..."

"I didn't say that her advances were wanted, much of her attempts to woo me have been non-consensual actually."

"Hopefully she remembers what I told her then."

"What part?"

"The part where I said that you're _mine_."

"Vicky!" Vicky was hit with what seemed like a truck, in reality, it was her still sun-burnt sister. "I'm back! Finally, this sunburn was getting worse by the minute down there..."

Vicky laid on the floor for several seconds before pinching the bridge of her nose. "So this must be how it feels, eh Timmy?"

"Yeah, I'm just used to it, but the first few times she did it, I fell over too."

"Timmy?! You're here too?!" Tootie launched herself off Vicky and at Timmy, but stopped short. "Um..."

Timmy stuck his arms out at his sides, actually _inviting _her to hug him.

Tootie looked at Vicky questioningly. "What? He's still your friend, I'm not gonna get mad at you for hugging him."

Tootie's response was instantaneous as she flew at Timmy and wrapped her arms around him. "Timmy! I'm so happy you came here to welcome me home!"

He tipped slightly, but regained his balance. "It's nice to see you too Tootie." he returned the hug.

"Ah!" Tootie squirmed slightly in his grasp.

"Oh right, sunburn, sorry!" he released her and stepped back.

"Tootie, this is Heather, our landlady."

"You could just call me your friend."

"Our friend, she owns the building we live in."

Heather looked back and forth between Tootie and Vicky for several seconds. "Anyone ever tell you that you look nothing alike?"

"Sometimes."

"Nice to meet you Heather."

"Likewise, Vicky never told me her little sister was so cute!"

Timmy and Vicky both froze and looked back and forth between Heather and Tootie.

"Oh stop! You're gonna make me blush! But I appreciate the compliment!"

Vicky watched the mildly awkward conversation happening before her. _"I don't think she realizes how Heather meant that..."_

Timmy grabbed Tootie's suitcase and put it in the car. "We ought to get going, we still have to get the rest of Vicky's things from her house, and of course, Tootie's things as well."

An uncomfortable silence prevailed for most of the drive back to Vicky's house, which Tootie saw fit to break. "So how is the new place?"

"Pretty big, though it _is_ a loft, so that's to be expected. There's still plenty of room for your things over there, so don't worry about what you can and can't take."

"Oh, okay. How are things between you guys?" she gestured between Timmy and Vicky.

"Umm... good..." Vicky still felt awkward talking about this with Tootie, why would she even bring it up? Though she couldn't just pretend it didn't exist either...

"Well that's good to hear, I was afraid that Vicky moving might complicate things between you two..."

"No, we're fine." Vicky dreaded the conversation she knew she'd have to have with Tootie later. "Heather has been helping me move my things to the new place."

"Oh! Thanks for helping me and my sister! I know she can be a pain sometimes..."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that, your sister is fine." she winked at Vicky.

"_If only I had telepathy so I could tell her to shut up!"_

"My truck should be enough for most of your things, but we'll have to leave the furniture for a moving van. Maybe you could call those guys you asked last time? They were pretty quiet, and even set everything up for you."

"Yeah, I'll give them a call later..."

With some effort, they were able to fit all of Vicky and Tootie's things in the truck, though, as predicted, they had to leave most of the furniture. As they drove into the city, Timmy decided to break the returning silence.

"So how are Chester and AJ doing? I haven't heard from them since... well, since I told them about Vicky and I..."

"Chester is doing fine, he doesn't seem to be bothered by the thought of you two going out anymore, although everytime I've talked to him, he seemed more out of it than usual, I think he may be smoking weed even more frequently than before... AJ... well, he's still pretty mad at you for what you did, not that I can really blame him. Did you really have to break his nose?"

"Did he really have to insult your sister?"

"Why what did he say?" Both Tootie and Vicky spoke at the same time.

"I'll admit, maybe I overreacted a little, but he didn't have the right to call her evil or say the things that he said, that she was irredeemable, there was no forgiveness for what she did..."

"Jeez, what a drama queen, does he even know of the things I used to do to you? If he did, he'd be begging me for what I did to him."

"Who knows? He seems to think that he got it the worst from you."

"I had no idea he said those things about Vicky, guess he conveniently skipped over those details..."

"He'll get over it eventually. So... what he said about wanting to date Trixie... was that true?"

"I don't know anything about that, he wants to date Trixie?"

"That's what he told me, but I dunno, maybe it was just a plot to knock me off balance, not that it worked, I've been over her for a while now."

"Hey, if you two ladies are finished discussing philosophy, we got things to do!"

Tootie looked at the blonde girl barking half-hearted orders, then back at Timmy.

"She's... kind of strange, but in an endearing sorta way."

They brought all the boxes and miscellaneous items from the house and left them in separate piles near the windows, one pile was Vicky's, the other, Tootie's.

"Wow! This place _is_ cool!" Tootie ran around the loft looking at the furniture and occasionally stopping to look out at the city.

"Glad you like it, Toots."

Tootie continued surveying the loft but stopped in front of the aquarium. "Hm? Timmy? Aren't these your goldfish?" Wanda did her best impression of a goldfish while Cosmo continued sitting on the couch in front of his miniature flat screen.

"Well... I guess now would be a good time to tell you..." Timmy looked over at Vicky.

"Timmy's moving in here too, well technically he already has moved in." better to put it bluntly than to dance around the issue all day.

"R-Really?"

"Yep, I decided I've had enough of my parents."

"So we're... roommates?"

"Well... yeah, but there is one thing... I mean-"

"Tootie, I'm glad you live here, and you can stay here whenever you want, but sometimes I'd like to have... _private_ time with Timmy. So I talked to Heather, and she said it's fine if you hang out with her whenever..."

"But... I don't really know Heather..."

Heather raised her hand as if in greeting. "Hey guys, I'm still here..."

"Tootie, I know that this is sudden, I don't have a problem with you being here to get adjusted, but I trust Heather-" she looked over at Heather, who smiled in gratitude. "And I'm asking you to trust both me and her..." _"This couldn't possibly come back to bite me later..."_

"Al-Alright, I guess it can't be too bad..."

"So you're okay with it? You'll be my roommate?" the excitement in Heather's voice was building.

"Yeah, I will- Eep!" Tootie was interrupted by a bear hug from Heather.

"It'll be great! We can stay up late, watch movies, play games..."

"Sun... burn..." Tootie squeaked out, her eyes were beginning to water from the pain.

"Oh shit! Sorry... I have some aloe at my place if you wanna come down..."

Tootie squeaked out an "mm-hm" and walked toward the door. Heather began to follow her but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder that twisted her around to face Vicky. "Something up?"

"I know it might be some harmless fun to you, and I would actually find it funny for Tootie to get a taste of her own medicine for what she used to do to Timmy, but please, don't be... _you_ around her too much?"

"Vicky come on now, I know we haven't known each other long, but I wouldn't do something like that to your sister... unless she's cool with it!" Heather quickly ran out the door after Tootie.

"Wait! I-"

"She's gone Vicky..."

"Ugh... they'll be fine, right?"

Timmy looked unsure and rubbed the back of his head.

"Right?!"

"Yeah! They're fine! You're worrying too much..."

"_That_ sounded convincing..."

"Ugh... you wanna know so bad, help me find the x-ray glasses. Then we'll know for sure."

"Where are they?"

"How should I know? Last I saw them, you were threatening to use them on me in the bathroom."

"Oh yeah! When we-" Vicky blushed at the thought.

"Yeah." Timmy blushed now as well.

Vicky went into the bedroom and returned after a few minutes with the glasses.

"They still work?"

Vicky put them on and hit the switch on the side. A smile grew across her face.

"I'll take that as a yes. So what are they doing? Vicky?"

Vicky continued to stare at Timmy.

"Hey! What are they doing?!"

"Oh! Right! I got distracted by... nevermind..." she began to walk around the apartment while looking at, or more precisely, _through_ the floor. "Ugh... where are they?!"

"Not to sound like a pervert or anything..."

"It's too late for that, I already think you're a perv."

"Bedroom?"

"Wha? Oh God..."

"Calm down... it's probably not like _that_..."

_Meanwhile..._

Heather opened the door to her apartment and was followed in by Tootie. "I keep the aloe in the fridge."

"The fridge?"

"Cold feels nice on a sunburn."

Tootie looked around the loft, then at Heather.

"What?"

"You have almost nothing here!"

Heather looked around at her own living space, there was a carpet, a coffee table sat on the carpet, and a couch sat in front of the table. There was no TV, no computer, the rest of the house was fairly empty, in the kitchen there was a stove, fridge, and dishwasher, standard kitchen furniture, but the apartment was surprisingly spartan. "Meh, I don't need much. When you bring your stuff here, you can put it wherever, or you can keep it upstairs, if you prefer."

"I'll worry about that later, aloe?"

"Right." Heather walked over to the fridge and grabbed the bottle of aloe. "Here." she handed Tootie the bottle then collapsed onto the couch. "I am so tired..."

"It's only three in the afternoon!"

"I helped your sister and her boyfriend move in, then I helped you move in, I need to rest..." she noticed Tootie had begun to put the aloe on her sun burns and turned over to face the back of the couch. _"Alright, just don't think about it, just think about... something else..."_

"Hey Heather, you mind getting my back?"

"_Shit! I'm actively trying to avoid these situations, and now I'm getting pulled into one!" _"I don't know about this... I have uh... really knobby hands! Yeah..."

"Who cares? I'm not asking for a massage, just to put some of this on my back." Tootie stood before Heather in just her bra and skirt.

"_Where did her shirt go?! __Gods... or whoever is listening out there, grant me strength..." _"Uh... sure..." she put a glob of the blue goop in her hands.

"Thanks! ...Is your face red?"

"No... you're imagining it."

"Hm... must be from when you were laying down..." Tootie sat down in front of Heather.

"Okay... now, hold still, it'll be cold..." Heather began rubbing the aloe onto Tootie's back, she felt Tootie tense up for several seconds before relaxing. "Told you it would be cold."

"Your hands aren't knobby... but they _are_ shaking..."

"Huh... my bloodsugar must be low from all that heavy lifting..." _"__That's convincing, right?"_

"You gonna be okay?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just need to grab something to drink. There, all done." Heather stood and went into the kitchen to wash her hands.

"Thanks."

"No problem. I'm gonna take a nap, so if you wanna go back upstairs, go ahead. I'll be up in a few hours..." Heather opened her bedroom door and fell into her bed.

Tootie followed and looked around upon entering the room, it too was fairly empty like the rest of the loft, just a bed, dresser and wardrobe. "Not a fan of material possessions?"

"When I moved out here, I left most of my things behind to start fresh, and I only buy what I need."

"Oh... Is there anything I can get you before I leave?"

"Yeah, mind pulling my comforter over me? I'd do it myself but... I'm lazy."

"Sure." Tootie did as she asked then stood in front of her, she could only see Heather from her nose up, the rest of her was covered up.

Heather blinked, then spoke. "You should probably get dressed..."

Tootie looked down and realized she hadn't put her shirt back on yet. "Eep!" Tootie immediately turned a shade of scarlet and sprinted out of the bedroom. Heather watched her leave and snickered at how flustered she became.

_Back in Vicky's apartment..._

"Where did her shirt go?!"

"Huh?!"

"She's down there in Heather's room without a shirt on!"

"Wow... Heather works fast..."

"This isn't funny!"

"It's kinda funny. Maybe it isn't like you think..."

"What other reason could my sister have for being shirtless in Heather's bedroom?!"

"Maybe... uh... Yeah, I got nothing."

"Damn it all! I thought I could stop killing people for a while after Ricky, yet here I am..." she grabbed a broadsword off the wall. "Having to kill someone!"

"Vicky, I think you need to calm down, there wasn't nearly enough time for them to do anything you may be thinking of anyway... maybe... maybe Tootie just asked her to put aloe on her back?"

Vicky stood for several seconds in thought. Maybe he was right, it was easier to ask someone else than to try and put it on her own back... She took off the x-ray glasses and hung her sword back up, before sighing loudly. "You're probably right, I guess I'm just playing the role of the overprotective older sister..."

"Remember, we can't ask her about it either, I wished for those, they're magic glasses..."

"So?"

"So?! I told you, nobody can know about Cosmo and Wanda, if anyone finds out, we'll lose them forever!"

"Oh yeah... Why did you agree to Tootie moving in with us then?!"

"Because she's your sister and my friend, I wouldn't want you to turn her away... And second, I've kept them a secret for years now, Hell, you didn't even know for sure until a few weeks ago. I think I can keep them a secret from Tootie."

"So why are you telling me this?"

"I'm not saying you'd do anything to make Cosmo and Wanda disappear on purpose, but if you ever let anything slip... or you weren't careful one day..."

"Don't you trust me?"

"Don't do that, you know I do, it isn't about trust, it's about being careful."

"I'm careful..."

"You almost went downstairs to murder Heather because of a misunderstanding."

"I'm usually careful."

"Just watch yourself around Tootie... And no murdering people! Especially not our friends!"

"Ugh... you take all the fun out of life..."

The apartment door suddenly burst open and Tootie ran in, quickly shutting it behind her.

"Hey Tootie, you okay? Your face is... a little red."

"Oh! I just ran up here! I'm a little out of breath..."

"So Heather's pretty _nice_, huh? How does her place look by the way? Neither of us have seen it." Vicky had seen it through the glasses, but she was keeping up appearances. She hoped neither Timmy not Tootie noticed the edge she put into the word 'nice'.

"It's... well, kinda empty, she doesn't even have a TV! There's barely any furniture at all, she claims she isn't a big fan of all those material possessions..."

"Okay... well it's up to you where you wanna keep your stuff, there's still plenty of room here, or you can keep it at her place... Where is Heather anyway?"

"She was pretty tired after helping us move, she said she'd take a nap and come visit later today."

"I should've guessed..."

"So you guys just decided to move in together?"

"Well... Vicky apparently had planned on moving out for a while, but she only told me recently, and then she asked me to move in with her."

"And you did? Just like that? It seems a little... spur of the moment, don't ya think?"

"I told you and the guys, I lo-... Are you sure you wanna talk about this?"

"I brought it up, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but... I don't want to make you uncomfortable, or upset you..."

"Timmy. Seriously, I'm over it. If you love my sister, then that's fine with me. I was already beginning to get over you, really. I just... kinda freaked out when I heard the news, I thought... I don't know what I thought."

"Well that's why I moved out, because I love Vicky, and well... you know how my parents are..."

"Yeah, you've told me. Have you told them about this yet?"

"Er... no. I've been putting it off..."

"Don't you think you should tell them?"

"I will... when I'm ready."

"Have they called this summer? Like at all?"

"...No, they haven't, even your parents talked to Vicky, but mine..."

"Oh... I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault." the subject had quickly made Timmy feel depressed, he went over to the couch and began playing one of his video games.

Vicky walked over and stood next to Tootie, who was watching Timmy. "Don't worry too much about him, I know you probably aren't used to seeing him like this, but he'll be fine, he gets like this lately when his parents are brought up..."

"I've never seen him this depressed... what happened over the summer?"

"A few things... he tried to hide it, but he was pretty shook up when I almost..."

"Vicky?"

Vicky wasn't sure if bringing up what had happened with Ricky was a good idea, Tootie worried enough already. "You remember Ricky?"

"Your ex? Yeah, why?"

"He came by a few weeks ago, he tried to kill us."

"What?! Are you okay?!"

"Keep it down!" She looked at Timmy, who was looking at her and Tootie.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, no worries, everything's fine! I just don't want her waking up Heather."

"Oh... right." he returned his attention to his game.

"Yeah, we're fine now, but I got pretty badly hurt, Timmy took care of me though. He was worried, the look on his face... I've never seen him so scared... He tries to hide his feelings on things, but sometimes they come out. Bringing up his parents? That was a trigger."

"Oh... What about Ricky?"

"Timmy's worried that when his parents return, they won't be mad at him. As for Ricky... we don't have to worry about him, not ever again."

"What did you do to Ricky? ...And Timmy's worried they _won't_ be mad?"

"I took care of Ricky, permanently. No more questions on that. Timmy's worried they won't be anything... they won't care, that they'll feel nothing..."

"They wouldn't..."

"I told him already, but if they do... we have to be there for him, you know what depression can do to people."

"Yeah..." when Timmy had rejected her the last time, she had fallen into a deep depression for a while, the only reason she had gotten through it was because of Vicky, and when Timmy told her he wanted to be friends. That had snapped her out of it.

"Just be careful around that subject, alright?"

"Gotcha."

"Timmy! Got room for two more?"

A smile quickly re-appeared on Timmy's face. "Sure!"

_A few hours later in Heather's apartment..._

Heather tossed and turned a bit in her sleep, then rolled over, and off the bed. "Ow..." she sat up and untangled herself from the comforter. "I thought by buying a queen size bed I'd stop rolling out of it... Then again, I thought these nightmares would stop over two years ago..." the nightmares were the real reason she slept so much, she had a very difficult time getting a full nights sleep.

"What time is it anyway?" she looked at her phone. "Nine... they're probably still awake." for the first time in a long time, she realized not only how empty her apartment seemed, but how lonely it felt. "Hah... brings back memories of..." she trailed off and smelled the air. "Ick... smells like... copper." she felt her nose, expecting to find that it was bleeding, it wasn't. She began to feel increasingly uneasy in her own living space.

"Well, time to see what those three are up to! No reason to stay here!" she quickly changed into a pair of dark green shorts and an orange t-shirt, then hastily left her apartment and headed up one floor and knocked on the door.

"I'll get it!" it sounded like Timmy. The door opened to reveal she had guessed correctly. "Oh, hey Heather, you sleep alright?"

"About as well as can be expected..."

"You still look pretty tired. No offense." he walked away from the door, then looked back. "This vampire shit has to go, if I walk away from the door and don't close it in your face, it's pretty safe to assume I'm inviting you in."

"Hm? Oh... sorry, I'm just spacing out over here..." she followed him in and shut the door behind her.

"Vicky, I found a blonde girl by herself on the doorstep, can we keep her? Please?" he pointed his thumb over his shoulder at Heather.

"First goldfish, then my sister, now pretty blonde strangers? What am I gonna do with you?"

"Oh, so you think I'm pretty?" Heather fluttered her eyelashes.

"Well I don't think you're ugly, so..."

"The two of you really like to pour on the charm, huh?"

"No, these two are just acting like this cause they're in love, the niceness is just a side effect." Tootie interrupted.

"Please excuse my sister, she's in a sour mood because Timmy and I have been destroying her at this game."

"It's two against one! I'd hardly call that fair!"

"You have a computer controlled ally, set to level nine I might add, are you saying Timmy and I are above level nine?"

"Only when you work together..."

"Got room for a fourth? Maybe I can even the odds..."

Tootie looked at Heather skeptically. "You sure? I didn't see any games at your place..."

"I'm a fast learner." she jumped onto the couch next to Tootie and grabbed a controller.

The game did not go as Heather had planned, she thought she had the upper hand, but the teamwork between her opponents was too good, even with Tootie's help. Whenever she defeated Timmy, Vicky would heal him, and vice versa. And whenever she stopped to heal Tootie, or the other way around, they would strike. Eventually, she and Tootie lost, and Heather hung her head in defeat. "You guys are too good... haven't you ever heard of going easy on us new players...?"

"To go easy on you would be to insult your abilities. I play to win, the only time I might go easy on you is if I want to prolong the fight as long as possible."

"To toy with us? Like a cat would a mouse?"

"Exactly. Right Timmy?"

"Uh... I mostly play for fun, actually."

"Wait, so you weren't fighting us seriously?"

"Not really, I was doing what Vicky said she does, if I played seriously, you wouldn't last five minutes, no offense. And before you suggest this is idle boasting, it isn't."

"I want a rematch!"

"You sure? It won't end well..."

"We'll see about that."

Five minutes. That was how long it took for Timmy to burn through all forty of Heather and Tootie's combined lives. Vicky had gotten them a few times too, but neither her nor Timmy had lost any, whenever they went after Vicky, Timmy was right there to back her up, in short, they never stood a chance. "Alright then, it seems you weren't bluffing. You know what they say about fast and dextrous hands, right Vicky?" she narrowed her eyes and smiled at Vicky.

Tootie looked at Heather and then turned her head to Vicky, not noticing the pillow that flew over her head and connected with Heather's face. "What do they say?"

"That... people with fast and dextrous hands are... really good at cooking! Yeah..."

"Oh really? I've never heard that before..."

Heather pulled the pillow off her face. "Well I can attest that Timmy is a very good cook."

"That's good for you Vicky, you can't cook to save your life- Oof!" Tootie was interrupted by a pillow slamming into her, knocking her into Heather, who caught her.

"Show some respect or feel my pillow enhanced wrath!"

There was silence for several seconds.

"Vicky that doesn't sound very- Mph!" Timmy was interrupted by a pillow this time. "I'm not having-" he was interrupted by another pillow. "A pillow fight with-" again, he was hit by a pillow. "You!" he was hit with yet another pillow. "How many pillows do you even have?!"

Vicky froze midway through pulling a pillow from between the couch cushions. "A few..."

Timmy lunged forward and in a surprising burst of strength, lifted Vicky and the cushion she was sitting on up, causing her to tumble into Tootie and Heather. Timmy looked at where the cushion once sat to see that the springs of the couch had been replaced by a mound of pillows, so packed in were they that you couldn't tell the springs weren't there when you sat down. "Did you plan some sort of pillow war at some point?!"

"You never know when you'll need pillows, this couch I got has a storage compartment, I filled it with pillows, some I stole when I went on vacation, some I stole from the store..."

"Why?!"

"Well duh, in case I ever had a pillow fight. Why else would I-" she was interrupted by a pillow flying at her head, which she dodged effortlessly, causing it to hit Tootie instead.

Tootie moved the pillow and felt her glasses to see if they broke. "Hey! What did I do?!"

"You were a casualty of war." Timmy remarked nonchalantly.

"Oh, it's war alright..." Tootie grabbed the pillow Timmy threw at her and fluffed it, causing it to make a sound not unlike a shotgun being cocked. She looked up at Heather from her sitting position in her lap. "Heather?"

"Oh hell yes! It would be an honor to stand by your side against these lovebirds!" Heather picked up her own pillow.

Vicky scoffed at the two girls before her and Timmy. "What? Two losses not enough for you? Gonna go for the hat trick of losses?"

"You might be surprised, I know how to wield a melee weapon..."

"As do I..."

The next few hours were filled with sounds of thumping and thudding as pillows were tossed furiously from one side of the loft to the other and then back again. The seniors on the lower floors experienced flashbacks of when they were in wars and hid under their beds, waiting for the end to come, when the downy feathers of war finally settled, all four of the lofts occupants were panting in exhaustion. Vicky held out her hand to Tootie. "Truce?"

"For... now..." Tootie shook Vicky's hand.

Vicky looked at the clock. "Well, seeing as how it's one in the morning, I suggest we all get some sleep, Heather looks ready to collapse."

"Hey! I didn't get much sleep is all!"

"Well then, now is a good time ain't it?"

Heather waved at Vicky dismissively.

"Tootie, you mind taking the couch?"

"Kind of..."

"Well you could always take the top bunk in our room..."

"Umm..." they all looked at Heather.

"Heather?"

"She could sleep at my place, I have a queen size bed, more than big enough for two people... Er... if you don't mind sharing a bed, Tootie."

Vicky spoke first. "I don't think..."

"I suppose that'd be alright... Nothing wrong with two girls sharing a bed, right?"

"Well, no but..."

Heather interrupted Vicky. "Then it's settled. You wanna grab some sleeping clothes?"

"Yeah." she opened her suitcase and pulled out a pair of black shorts and a purple tank-top.

"Bathroom's over there." Vicky pointed to a door near the kitchen.

Tootie walked to the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

Timmy looked at Vicky.

"What?"

"You and her have very similar taste in sleepwear."

"Don't look at me, I don't give her advice about what she wears, that's why she dresses so similarly to the way she did when you first met her, to be honest, she tries to get me to wear different clothes."

Tootie emerged from the bathroom in the tank-top and black shorts, they were slightly more conservative than Vicky's, but not much.

Timmy looked her over. "How's that sunburn?"

"It's not as bad... but I think I should put some aloe on my legs, they still hurt a little." Tootie rubbed her thighs lightly, such a thing might have caught Timmy's attention at one time, but not now.

Heather on the other hand, put her hand up to her nose, trying to cover up a nose bleed.

"Heather? You alright?" He saw the red trickle a second before she put her hand over it, and was reminded of the incident in the bathroom with Vicky.

"Oh yeah, just a little nosebleed, I get them on really rare occasions. But I'm fine, really. You ready to head out Tootie?"

"Yeah, goodnight Vicky, goodnight Timmy."

"Night Tootie, Heather." Vicky watched them leave and waited until she heard them descending the stairs before she turned to Timmy. "Did... did I just make a mistake?"

"Possibly, you did just let our overly affectionate friend take your overly affectionate, towards me anyway, sister down to her apartment so they could sleep in the same bed. Then again, they did just weasel out of helping us clean up..." he gestured around the room, there were pillows scattered everywhere, some were seemingly embedded in walls, one was stuck to the ceiling.

"How... how is that even possible? Wait, why do I even care? Just wish it cleaned up."

"Wanda? I wish-"

There was a poofing sound as all the pillows disappeared and reappeared in the couch. "I overheard your conversation." Wanda hadn't even bothered to poof out of her fish form, yet continued to read some magazine.

"Thanks Wanda!" Timmy and Vicky spoke at the same time.

"No problem."

"I suppose we should get to bed..." Timmy turned back to Vicky to find she had put the x-ray glasses back on. "Hey!" he snatched them away and put them on the table. "Leave it alone! Heather said she wouldn't do anything without Tootie consenting!"

"But... but... she's only fourteen! What if she doesn't know any better?"

"I'm only fourteen! You know I don't regret my decision to be in a relationship with you, and Tootie's smart, she'll know better, quit worrying, you're only stressing yourself out."

Vicky groaned in defeat. "Fine... I'll leave it alone."

_Back in Heather's apartment..._

"Oh! Before I forget... not to put you off, but I have a bit of a bad habit when I sleep... well, bad depending on who you ask."

"What's that?"

"I tend to be a bit of a... cuddler in my sleep."

"Okay?"

"Just warning you, it normally isn't a problem, but if I sleep in the same bed... well, just don't be surprised if you wake up closer to me than when you went to sleep."

"Um... it's fine..." thoughts of her waking up in the middle of the night with Heather wrapped around her swam through her head, causing her to blush lightly.

"Okay then." Heather walked to the bedroom and entered it, followed closely by Tootie. Heather climbed into bed and wrapped the comforter around herself. Tootie climbed into bed and laid down a few feet away, then shivered, the air conditioner was still on, but she didn't want to shut it off, it was Heather's house after all.

Heather watched Tootie for several minutes as she shivered. "Oh just come here!"

Tootie felt an arm wrap around her waist and pull her under the comforter, Heather felt her tense up at their closeness.

"I'm not turning off the air conditioner, and I'm not letting you freeze to death stubbornly, so you might as well get comfortable..." she felt Tootie relax in her grip. "Also, you shouldn't sleep with your glasses on." she took off Tootie's glasses and put them on the bedside table, eliciting a squeak of surprise from her. "Maybe I'll be able to sleep through the night tonight as well..." she pulled Tootie closer to her.

Tootie was blushing more than she ever had, she didn't expect to get any sleep tonight, and she certainly didn't expect Heather to be... like _this_. _"Well now I understand those strange looks Vicky gave her..."_

* * *

A/N: Damn, this one took forever, it was actually finished last night, but I didn't have time to upload it. Sorry! Next update on Monday.


	29. Chapter 29

Timmy woke to the morning sun pouring into his and Vicky's room, and directly into his eyes. "Grr... should've shut the curtains..." he got out of bed and walked over to the curtains and shut them, causing the room to be bathed in a much dimmer light. He shivered as he made his way back to the bed. "Why am I so-?" he looked down at himself to realize he wasn't wearing anything, then looked around the room to find his and Vicky's clothes scattered about the room. The events of the night before came rushing back as his sleep addled mind rebooted. Vicky had wanted to take full advantage of Tootie's absence, since it likely wouldn't happen very often.

He crawled back into bed, he hoped stealthily to avoid waking Vicky. "Your sneak skill is too low..." Vicky muttered in a still sleepy voice.

"I was trying to be quiet so as not to wake you, I figured you'd want to sleep in on a Sunday. I sure don't plan on doing anything today..."

Vicky spun around in bed and pulled him close. "I can think of something we could do..."

"Reading my mind now huh?"

"Pfft, you're easy to read..." she moved to kiss him-

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

-and was interrupted by a rather loud and hurried rapping at the apartment door.

"I bet I know who it is..."

"Tootie." they spoke simultaneously.

"To be continued?"

"At some point..."

"It's gonna be like we have kids, every time we wanna be intimate, her or Heather are gonna come up and need something..."

"I'll have to hang a 'do not disturb' sign up or something..."

Timmy got out of bed and began picking up his clothes.

"Cute ass by the way."

Timmy blushed and hurried out of the room, closely followed by Vicky's snickering. He put his clothes on and smoothed down his hair, then answered the door. A black and purple blur shot by him and crash-landed on the couch. "Hey Timmy. Just thought I'd come up here to see you guys not because I was uncomfortable last night as Heather wrapped her arms around me."

"...Wait what?"

"Nothing! Good morning!"

"Morning... are you feeling okay?"

"Yep! Just fine! Why do you ask? I'm not hiding anything! We didn't do anything!"

"Huh?"

"I only slept with her! Not anything else, really! And she initiated the contact not me!"

"Would you please slow down?! I can barely put together what you say before you start with something else! Take a deep breath."

Tootie stared at him.

"Do it! Deep breath, in through the nose."

Tootie breathed in deeply.

"Out through the mouth."

Tootie exhaled loudly.

"Now a few more."

Tootie did as Timmy told her.

"Alright, feeling better?"

"NoIwentdownthereandshewasnicebutshesaidshewasacuddlerandthenitwascoldsoshegrabbedmeandpulledmeundertheblanketwithherand-"

"Tootie."

"-itwassoweirdlikeitwasokaybutuncomfortableatthesametimeand-"

"Tootie."

"IlikeditbutIdon'tknowwhatitmeansorhowIfeelabout-"

"Tootie!"

"What?!"

"I can't understand you!"

"Oh! Sorry..."

"You said something about it being cold? And that Heather is a cuddler?"

"Yeah, she told me that but I didn't realize that..."

"Heather is rather... affectionate?"

"That's putting it mildly. She grabbed me from behind and pulled me under the blanket with her when I was cold, she likes to keep it cold in her room. But then..."

"Then?"

"She took off my glasses-"

"You sleep with your glasses on?"

"Let me finish! And then she rubbed her cheek against mine and said something about being able to get a good night's sleep..."

"So?"

"So?! You two could've warned me!"

"And miss out on this freak out of yours? Not likely sis." Timmy and Tootie looked up to see Vicky standing in the doorway to the bedroom, dressed in a green tank-top and black panties.

"So you guys did know?! About Heather, I mean."

"Well technically, we didn't _know_, but we've had our suspicions. She's put the moves on both me and Timmy."

"And _me_."

"And you..."

Tootie looked at Vicky for several seconds, obviously uncomfortable.

"What?

"Would you please put some pants on?!"

"It's my house. I'll walk around naked if I want. In fact..." she began to lift her shirt over her head.

"Vicky." Timmy looked at her, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Oh, I'm only kidding! Besides, I have a bra on..."

"Back to our earlier conversation... Do you guys know if Heather is...?"

"Is what?" Vicky had a sly smile on her face. Tootie looked to Timmy to see he was stifling a giggle.

"You know..."

"I'm afraid not... could you be more specific? I know a lot of things..."

"C'mon, don't' make me spell it out..."

"Still no ideas as to what you're talking about..." Vicky was struggling to hold in her own laughter now. She still enjoyed torturing her sister now and then.

"Is Heather... does she like girls...? Like really like girls?"

"Oh! That! I thought you were talking about something else!"

"No you didn't."

"Anyway, I dunno."

"What?!"

"I dunno what she likes, she clearly likes me, and Timmy... And you now, apparently."

"Is she playing games with us or something?"

"Dunno, not really my problem. Timmy and I are together, if she wanted to break us up, she's had plenty of chances. I haven't the slightest idea what her angle is."

_Heather's apartment..._

Heather woke feeling cold, she opened her eyes to find that she was alone in her bed, though the fleeting warmth indicated her bed-mate had left only a few minutes earlier. "Well... at least I didn't have any nightmares..." something that had only happened once before, when she slept in the same bed as Timmy and Vicky.

"Would've been nice if she hadn't left without a word though..." she looked over at her nightstand to see Tootie's glasses had been left behind. She grabbed them and flipped them over in her hands. "Perfect excuse to go up there..." she smiled at the idea, then looked herself over. "Shower first, then the hunt begins...!"

_Back at Vicky's apartment..._

The three had sat down for breakfast when Timmy noticed Tootie's lack of eye wear. "Tootie? Where are your glasses? I thought you needed them to... y'know, see?"

"Wha? I'm wearing them-" she put her hand up and realized she wasn't wearing them. "Shoot! I must've forgotten them down there after she took them off... I guess I'm so used to wearing them I don't notice when I'm not... But no, I don't need them to see, mostly just for reading, I can see alright without them."

"Well then my dear sister, you better go get them."

"Wha?! But I don't... I don't wanna... what if she?"

"What? She isn't gonna do anything to you now, she had a perfect opportunity last night and nothing happened, so what are you worried about? Unless something _did_ happen and you aren't telling us?"

"No... nothing happened... I just..."

"Yeah?"

"I have to... uh... finish my breakfast first! Then I'll go! Yep..." Tootie had a small bit of egg left on her plate.

Vicky reached across the table with her fork and stabbed the egg, then pulled back and ate it. "Oh look! Your plate is clean! Don't worry about washing it, Timmy can handle that, right?"

"Sure! You go have fun with your girlfriend!"

Tootie looked between her sister and former crush. "Are you two really doing this?"

"Yeah, we are."

Tootie angrily stood up from the table and made for the door, grumbling all the while.

Timmy and Vicky watched her leave before bursting out in laughter. "This is too fun!"

"I thought you didn't want Heather around her, you know, playing the role of the protective older sister?"

"At first, but after the scene when she came up here this morning? I can't resist! I'm sure she'll be fine, Heather wouldn't purposefully hurt anyone."

"Yeah, she doesn't seem to be like that..." Timmy took care of the dishes and returned to the table, then put his arms around Vicky from behind as she sat in her chair. "Since we're alone now... you think we have time for...?"

Vicky looked up and met his lips with hers. "I think not. We'll have to think of something more substantial than that to get rid of Tootie, how long do you think it'll take her to get her glasses back?"

"Eh... good point. Any ideas?"

"Hm... let's see how this plays out."

_Back to Heather's apartment..._

Heather was in a good mood, she had gotten a good night's sleep, and no nightmares, she knew she dreamed about something, but couldn't quite place it, she always had trouble remembering her dreams, but her nightmares... they were always perfectly vivid, like she was back there again... "Better not to think about it, that part of my life is over..." she let the hot water do it's work of washing her cares away. After fifteen minutes of spacing out in the shower, she washed her hair and got out. "Wonder what I can do today..."

_DING DONG_

"Hm?" she wrapped a towel around herself and left the bathroom, causing a large cloud of steam to billow out. She ignored the fact that she was dripping water on the floor, she'd clean it up later... or maybe not.

_DING DONG_

"I'm coming! Gimme a sec here- whoa!" she slipped from her feet being wet, but caught herself. _"Maybe I should've dried off, nearly broke my neck..."_

She grabbed the doorknob and opened it. "Yeah?" before her stood Tootie, who was looking back at the stairs, almost like she wanted to be ready to bolt at the slightest provocation.

"Hey Heather, I just... wanted... to..." Tootie trailed off and began turning redder than her sunburn.

"What? You alright?" Heather leaned down and placed her hand on Tootie's forehead. "Hm? You're burning up! You sick or something? I hope I don't catch anything from sleeping with you... Oh! Could it be because of how cold it was last night in my room? If you get sick from that, I'm sorry! I'm just so used to sleeping in the cold..."

Tootie wasn't paying attention to a word Heather said, first being too distracted by the fact that Heather answered the door in nothing but a towel, then even more distracted by Heather leaning down and accidentally showing off a fair bit off cleavage. She looked again at Heather's chest, then looked down at her own and frowned. _"Mine don't look that nice..."_

"Hey, Earth to Tootie! You read us out there?"

"What? Sorry I was... something."

"Distracted?"

"What?" N-no I wasn't..."

"I know, I used to get distracted by them too. I attributed it to being blonde, but I think it's just because... well..." Heather grabbed the towel to hold it up and began to jump up and down. "They're pretty awesome!"

Tootie stood before her, watching her jump up and down. _"Mine don't bounce..."_

Heather stopped and stood now. "So you need something or just come for a free show?"

"I-I left my glasses down here..."

"Oh! I knew you looked different somehow! Yeah they're in the bedroom still, come on in!"

"I'd rather not-"

"Just get in here!" Heather grabbed her wrist and yanked her inside.

Tootie found herself back in Heather's apartment, sitting on the couch. "You should probably think about getting a TV, maybe a game system, computer... something?"

Heather plopped down next to Tootie on the couch. "I told you, I'm not big on all that stuff... You can bring your stuff down here if you want..."

"I know, it's just- I-I mean..." Tootie eyes kept looking over heather's still damp form. "Can you just put some clothes on?! Please?!"

"Oh sure!" she stood and began walking to the bedroom before stopping and doing an about-face. "Unless? Wait... yes! This is my house! I can dress how I want!" she returned to her position next to Tootie and smirked at her.

"My sister said the same thing..."

"How are the lovebirds anyway?"

"Fine. They're teaming up to make fun of me..."

"Oh? How so?"

"I told them about... last night..."

"Okay..."

"That's it."

"So? Nothing happened, I don't see..."

"I think they think I like you."

"Do you?"

"I don't know... I- maybe...? Do you like me?" the last words were squeaked out.

"Well... we _did_ sleep together in a seemingly compromising position, even if it was just for you to stay warm... Also I am dripping wet in front of you... in just a towel..." Heather stopped and thought about what she just said for several seconds. "Huh. That sounds kinda wrong when I say it out loud..." Heather stood and made for her bedroom. "I'll get your glasses."

"_Jeez... is this how it felt for Timmy when I was always trying to get him to notice me?" _"Hey Heather... you busy today?"

Heather stuck her head out of the bedroom. "Not really, I need to make a copy of the keys to get in here for you... but I didn't really plan on anything today... Why?"

"Ah! Um... no reason!"

"Okay..."

A few minutes later, Heather came out of her room fully dressed in dark green jeans and a black shirt. "Here." she held Tootie's glasses in her outstretched hand.

"Thanks..." Tootie took them and put them on, then looked at Heather.

"Hm. For the record? You look cuter with glasses."

_Vicky's apartment..._

"Y'know, she's been down there a while... you sure you don't wanna...?"

Vicky sat next to Timmy on the couch, playing one of his video games. "Well... Alright!" she lunged at Timmy and landed on top of him. "I'm gonna-"

_KNOCK KNOCK_

"Fuck." she muttered.

"Not now..." disappointment was evident in Timmy's voice.

"Coming! Damnit..." Vicky got off of Timmy and went to answer the door, Timmy returned his attention to his game. "Tootie? ...And Heather?"

"Hey, just came by to say hi! And return your sister."

"You could've hung on to her for longer..."

"Oh? Are we interrupting something?" Heather gestured to Vicky's lack of pants.

"What? I'm not getting dressed on a Sunday. You're lucky I'm wearing as much as I am." she turned and walked back into the apartment, her way of inviting people in.

"Sounds more like unlucky to me... though this is a nice view..." Heather watched Vicky walk away.

Timmy looked over at Heather and Tootie's approaching forms. "Hey! I heard that! Hands off, she's mine."

"Now you wanna be possessive?"

"Gotta start sometime."

"Hear that Vicky? Your boyfriend is claiming you as his own. Guess I'll have to find someone else..." she had a mock downcast expression on her face.

"Good luck with that, hopefully you'll find someone that suits you to a 'T'." Vicky laughed lightly at her own joke. As did Timmy after he realized the implication.

Tootie felt like the only person in the room who didn't get a joke that was just told.

"Anybody wanna head out with me today? I need to make some keys for Tootie, and I might do some other errands while I'm out."

Vicky saw an opportunity, and jumped on it. "Well... I do owe Tootie a birthday present..." she ran into the bedroom and returned with a wad of cash, then took out several hundred dollar bills and handed them to Tootie. "Happy Birthday Tootie!"

"Vicky, my birthday was in March... and you already gave me a present..."

"Then... this is for the next one!"

"Um... okay... thanks?"

"Don't mention it! Go out to the mall and shop to your heart's content!"

Realization at just how much money she had hit Tootie and she ran to her pile of clothes and grabbed an outfit's worth, then ran into the bathroom.

"Right then, you mind taking my sister to the mall? She's a bit of a shopaholic."

"Okay... but why are you trying to...?"

Heather noticed Vicky making sidelong glances at Timmy as she stood in front of her.

"Oh! Gotcha, sure I'll take her out for a while. Are you cool with...?"

"With you seeing my sister?"

"Um... I-I wasn't gonna..."

"If that's what you wanna do, go right ahead. Long as you don't hurt her..."

"I won't! I... I wouldn't do that... the other stuff? With you and Timmy? I was just... testing the water..."

"Alright, I can't guarantee she'll return the feelings, we never talked about her... preferences before, but... I mean look at Timmy, if he put on a dress, he could easily pass as a girl."

Timmy heard what Vicky said and blushed as he remembered the days when she made him wear a maid outfit.

"If she had such a crush on him, I doubt it would be too much of a stretch to say she'd be... 'open' to the idea, y'know?"

"I'm kinda surprised you're... cool with this..."

"Eh, she needs to find someone someday, and I'd rather it be with someone I trust than someone I don't even know."

"I guess..."

"Then it's settled! You two go have fun!"

At this, Tootie emerged from the bathroom wearing a medium length purple skirt with (floral?) patterns, a light blue shirt, and a pink hat.

Vicky turned and looked at her sister. "Colorful..."

"Is... is that my hat?" Timmy looked from over the back of the couch.

"Er... yeah, you... you don't mind, do you?"

"Uh... no, not at all, looks better on you than it does on me anyway."

"Thanks! C'mon Heather! Lets go!" Tootie ran out the door and down the stairs.

"She's a little bundle of energy, isn't she?"

"Yep! And now she's _your_ little bundle of energy! Have fun!" Vicky pushed Heather out of the apartment and shut the door.

"Wait... what?"

Vicky locked the door and turned to look at Timmy with a predatory grin on her face.

"You think we'll have some peace for a little while now?" he turned off the game and TV.

"We'd better not waste any time!"

_Outside..._

"Heather! Come on! We gotta get there! You know how many shops are in the mall?!"

"This was a mistake..."

"What?"

"Nothing! I asked... if it's the mall near the lake?"

"Yeah! That one!"

Heather got into her SUV and Tootie hopped into the passenger seat. "So you used to have a crush on Timmy, huh?"

"Vicky told you?"

"Yep."

"Yeah, I was... pretty obsessed with him, it was pretty bad. Looking back, it's kinda pathetic, and once Vicky told me that she was seeing him... I lost my head for a little while... but I realized that I had moved on long before she told me about them..."

"Sounds like you have some lingering regrets..."

"Of course I do. I wish it could've been me that he loved... but if he loved me... there would be no one to love Vicky. The only person she had for the longest time was me, even I had our parents but... they don't... they treat her differently than they do me. If she is seeing Timmy... then she finally has someone who loves her, I can't take that away from her..."

"Even if it means sacrificing your own happiness?"

"Hey, I'm not sacrificing anything, I firmly believe that there is someone out there for everyone, me included."

"A nice way to look at things... I hope you're right."

"Me too..."

The drive to the mall consisted mostly of Tootie and Heather talking about Tootie and her family, and what Heather was willing to divulge about her own family.

"So I've never been to Tibecuador, what's it like?"

"Eh... like most places around the equator, far too hot in the summer, and despite the fact that most of it is tropical forest and mountains, it almost never rains, or at least it didn't while I was down there." Tootie peeled some dead skin off her arm and tossed it out the window. "I feel like a snake..."

"Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of the sun..."

Tootie looked at her skeptically. "You're not a vampire are you?"

"You're the second person to ask me that in the past couple days. No, my light skin just burns really easily."

"They have this wonderful invention called sunscreen you know..."

"Says the person who didn't even put any on."

"I forgot it at the hotel. What's your excuse?"

"I don't like how it feels on my skin."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

They arrived at the mall after a few more minutes of driving.

"You wanna stick together or meet me somewhere?"

"Up to you, I-" Heather stopped and thought. _"Maybe I should stick with her, I don't want to lose track of her since Vicky entrusted her to my care..." _"Actually? Let's stick together."

"'Kay."

"Remind me when we leave to head to the hardware store and make you a copy of the house key."

"Right."

Heather spent the next few hours following Tootie from store to store, she occasionally told Tootie she had to stop and rest, Tootie seemed to have boundless energy, but Heather had only gotten a good night's sleep for two nights, she still had much to catch up on.

"Heather c'mon! You can rest when we get back!"

Heather sat on a bench and waved Tootie over.

"What's up?"

"Gimme... a few minutes, I'm not cut out for all this running around right now..."

"Jeez... aren't you like, twenty? How can you be so tired? Is this what it'll be like when I turn twenty?"

Heather waved her away dismissively.

Tootie groaned in annoyance. "You wanna get something to eat then? Maybe recharge your batteries?"

"Yeah... sure."

"Nasty Burger?"

"What a terrible name for a fast food joint... We had Happy Burger back where I lived."

"It may be a gross name, but that doesn't stop me from getting food there."

"Lead the way..."

Tootie grabbed some of the bags Heather was carrying and walked over to the counter.

Heather watched Tootie for several seconds, then went to look for a nearby table. "I wonder if this counts as a date... I wonder what Vicky and Timmy's first date was like... I wonder why I didn't go up and order with Tootie, she doesn't know what I like..." She saw Tootie holding a tray and struggling with the bags, looking around for where Heather was. She whistled and waved her over.

"You probably should've come with me, I looked behind me thinking you were there and didn't see you..."

"Sorry, I figured I'd go secure us a table."

"I hope you like cheeseburgers..." Tootie put the tray on the table, the bag on the tray tipped over and spilled out it's contents, all two dozen cheeseburgers worth.

"Seriously?"

"What? It was a good deal, buy a dozen for half price, and get a dozen for free!"

"That doesn't even sound real!"

"The proof is in the receipt."

Heather took the receipt and looked at it. "Huh. Alright then."

"Probably have deals like that because whoever buys that many and eats them is likely to die of a heart attack a short time later."

"Right?"

"We should probably head out soon, the mall and everything else closes soon, since it's Sunday."

"Yeah... yeah..."

"Thanks for taking me out here. And for carrying all my stuff..."

"Oh, no problem. It's nice to go and hang out with someone, I don't really get out much."

"And here I am treating you like a pack mule..."

"It's fine! Really! I don't mind. Thanks for getting dinner, we'll bring the rest home for the lovebirds."

"Or... we could keep it for ourselves."

"I like the way you think!"

The two left the mall and arrived back at the apartment a little after seven. "Let's see what those two are up to, shall we?" Heather knocked on the door.

No answer. She knocked again. Still no answer.

_Inside the apartment..._

"Hey... Twerp. Someone's knocking."

The two were in bed, Timmy resting his head on Vicky's bare chest. "They can keep knocking too, this is the best pillow ever. I'm not getting up... Hey! Maybe if we're quiet enough, they'll go away!"

"Mm... good idea."

_Outside the apartment..._

"Heather? I don't think they're awake..."

"Yeah, probably not, they could be out for all we know. C'mon we'll-" Heather sighed.

"What?"

"You didn't remind me to get a copy of the key...?"

"Oh shoot! What now?"

"You mind sleeping over again? The store is definitely closed now... I don't wanna make you uncomfortable but..."

"It's- it's fine, let's get this stuff down to your place."

Tootie and Heather entered the apartment and placed the bags down near the couch.

"Would it be alright if I... um..."

"Yeah?" Heather laid down on the couch.

"Take... a shower?"

"I... guess so? Yeah, go ahead, you know where it is." her hesitation was caused by her mind wandering to some very... inappropriate places.

"Thanks..." Tootie made her way to the bathroom.

"Must... control... self... Argh! Dammit!" Heather stood and made for the bathroom door, but stopped as her hand hit the doorknob. "No... I'm good, I have self-control, I'm- I'm not a perv..." she released the doorknob and returned to the couch.

"Heather? Could you grab me a towel?"

"There aren't any in there?"

"I didn't see any..."

"I must've forgotten to put some more in there. I'll grab you one." Heather went into her room and fished through her pile of clean laundry. "I really should put my clothes away when they're clean..." she eventually found a towel and went to the bathroom door and knocked.

"Come in."

Despite her imagination currently running wild, Heather entered the bathroom and put the towel on the sink. "Anything else you... need?" Heather looked at the shower, and the reptilian part of her brain reminded her that there was only a single pane of easily moved frosted glass between her and...

"Um... no I'm good, thanks though."

"Yeah, sure... I'll- I'll be in the living room if you need me." Heather left the bathroom and returned to lying down on the couch. She brought her index finger up to her mouth and bit down on it to try and focus her thoughts. "I just need... something..." _"You just need to get laid." _"Bad thoughts. How about some good ones? Like in movies where there's like a good conscience and a bad one?" Heather sat and waited for a full minute. _"Nope just us bad thoughts." _"Damn... alright evil side of me, what do you propose?"

"_You know what I'll suggest."_

"That's not really an option. I can't just go in there and join her for a shower..."

"_You _are_ your own person, you can _do _whatever you want."_

"I can but... I can't, as a part of my deranged psyche, you know that."

"_You'll cave eventually. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but you will."_

"Hmph." she locked her thoughts away and turned over to face the back of the couch. "I'll just take a nap, can't think about it if I'm asleep."

Several minutes later, Tootie came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. "I can't believe I forgot my clothes! I'm really spacing out lately... Heather?" she spied Heather lying down on the couch, facing its back. "You awake?" she felt herself blush as she realized she was in the same position that Heather had been in earlier, but Heather was confident in herself, she didn't mind walking around in just a towel. Tootie however, was very uncomfortable with the idea.

She walked over and stood in front of the couch, holding on to the towel like it was a lifeline. "Hello?" she poked at Heather a few times and she shook slightly in her sleep, but didn't move more than that. "Damn it... which one of these bags has my clothes?" Tootie jumped as Heather turned over suddenly with her arm out and watched in horror as her fingers hooked the part of the towel that was covering her chest. Gravity did the rest of the work as it pulled Heather's arm to the floor, the grasped towel going with it.

Tootie froze. She stood naked and dripping in front of Heather now, who continued to sleep peacefully. Tootie's mind screamed at her to make a break for the bathroom, which she did after grabbing a few of the bags. As she bolted for the bathroom, she slipped in some water that had dripped off her. She recovered, still blushing mad, and ran into the bathroom, quietly shutting the door behind her.

The noise caused by Tootie falling woke Heather, who sat up and looked around. "Wha?" she wiped her mouth, realizing she had been drooling in her sleep and stretched. "Tootie? That you?"

"Uh... Yeah! I dropped a bottle of shampoo, everything's fine!"

"Oh-" she stifled a yawn. "Okay... I'm going to bed... see you in there?"

"Yeah sure!" Tootie was leaning against the bathroom door, trying to catch her breath. She placed her hand on her chest. "Is it beating so fast because I ran in here, or is it something else? Maybe I'm just on the verge of having a heart attack..."

Heather stood and looked down at her hand, which still clutched the damp towel. "Where did? Huh... weird..." She brought walked into her room and threw the towel into the laundry, then crawled into bed and under the covers.

Tootie entered some time later and left her clothes by the door. "Heather...?"

No response.

Tootie climbed into bed and sat next to Heather. "You awake?" she poked her nose with her index finger.

Heather's right eye opened. "What are you doing?"

"I- um... I don't know... I was wondering... because, you see I thought about..."

While Heather did find Tootie cute when she was all flustered like this, she also really wanted to get some sleep, especially now that she wasn't having nightmares. She grabbed Tootie and pulled her into her chest so she was laying down. "Go to sleep Tootie."

"But I-! I mean... I need to say- About you... and me... I..."

She felt Heather move behind her, then felt a kiss on her cheek. "I know."

* * *

Author Note: I'm late. I know. These are tough to write with everything that's going on in real life right now. But that's neither here nor there. Yes, I am suggesting that Tootie and Heather are going to enter into a relationship, just in case it wasn't obvious, not my original intention, but after the idea popped into my head, I decided to go with it, hopefully it's believable enough, I don't know much about relationship stuff myself, only what I've read, and even less about same-sex relationships, though they technically aren't too different from heterosexual relationships I suppose. I figured that despite the fact that Tootie is rather forward with Timmy in the show, she would be a bit more timid in unfamiliar territory, which is why she may seem somewhat out of character here.


End file.
